Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
And as Christmas comes to a close for me, I try to concentrate on the good things and all I have to be thankful for. I have met so many amazing people over the last 4 months and have had some wonderful experiences. Every day has not been a dream but I am alive and healthy, something I am especially thankful for considering my most recent health adventure. I have great friends to spend my time with, and an amazing family and friends back home to miss. Not to mention my glorious Savior, the reason for the holiday. I am abundantly blessed. It also brings to mind all the wonderful Christmas memories I have with my family, be it sitting in front of the fireplace or praying we can find just one open McDonald's for some Christmas breakfast, I can truly say I have a blessed life and the most amazing people in my life.
This year there was no Christmas tree, very little Christmas music, though that meant I didn't have a chance to get sick of it, like I usually am 2 days after Thanksgiving, and certainly none of the regular traditions, I still had a nice weekend celebrating the day.
After a week of easy Christmas lessons I headed to Yeongyang for a potluck Christmas on Saturday complete with ping-pong, a game of HORSE (basketball), secret Santa gifts, an abundance of delicious (non-Korean :] ) food, and a fabulous finish at my first noraebang (karaoke). I got there Friday night so I wouldn't have to worry about traveling on Saturday and had a nice evening with David, Vince, Marlene, and Lucy, who graciously offered her apartment for festivities and sleeping for 13. :] It's a good thing she has a big apartment. Saturday morning we woke up to a bit of snow, though it didn't stay for long it was a nice touch. After cooking the rest of the food for the afternoon, we headed out to play a bit of ping-pong until everyone else arrived. Which we followed up with a game of HORSE. In the cold. On top of a mountain. :o Once we were all sufficiently frozen we headed back to Lucy's and started the final preparations for dinner and waited for everyone to arrive. Cue mingling, drinking games, music, and general holiday festivities. Once everyone got there we had a delicious meal including mashed and roasted potatoes, chicken, all kinds of vegetables, and all other sorts of goodies. :D Then Dom and Dave treated us to a bit of live acoustic Christmas music and then we headed circled 'round for secret Santa. I got Andong soju, they're famous for it, in two beautiful ceramic figurines. All of the gifts were really nice and it was a lot of fun to see what everyone got. There were mittens, chocolate, wine and soju, bear coin banks and more.
To end the night we headed to a noraebang down the road from Lucy's. Korea really loves karaoke. So much so that they have establishments entirely dedicated to it. Like karaoke bars, but more. In a noraebang there are usually 5-10 rooms, of varying sizes, for different sized groups. You go with your group and you get a room and there are couches, and screens and microphones and they bring you food or drinks, you can order stuff, nothing serious, but snack type things, and then you sing your heart out. So we figured what better way to end Christmas Eve than to do just that. And sing we did. For 2 hours, until our throats were raw and the bottles were empty. We commemorated Christmas with Feliz Navidad at midnight and then headed back to home base and crashed for the night.
Sunday morning brought hangovers for many and gathering of belongings for our treks back to our homes. We said our goodbyes and ended a great weekend with friends. It was nice to be able to share Christmas with such great people and make all the wonderful memories. I know I'll never have another Christmas like it.
And yet, although I had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas with friends, nothing can compare to Christmas breakfast, all the kids in one house, and family gathered round.
I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams...
Merry Christmas everyone. Miss and love you all. ♥
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
The Game of Operation
So much has happened since I last posted. It was almost a month ago but it seems much longer than that. So, I'll just dive right in. Oh and fair warning, this will be a long and personal post, aka, not the most interesting read. You've been warned. :]
So Wednesday, November 16, my coteacher, Oeja, insisted on taking me to the doctor since I was out Monday and Tuesday sick. It was a pretty standard appointment. What are your symptoms, where does it hurt, the usual. Then he has me lay down on the bed to do the part where they push around on your stomach just to make sure everything's okay. Well, I had found a lump about a month earlier in my lower abdomen, and told Oeja that I needed to see a doctor when it wasn't getting any smaller. That was the beginning of November. But, between her busy schedule and everything going on at school, the third graders huge, life changing test, and the school festival, we hadn't gotten around to it yet. So, back to my appointment. The doctor starts pushing around on my stomach and finds the lump, it was kind of hard to miss. So he tells me I need to have an xray, and they send me back to the xray room. After, we go back in to talk to the doc and he tells me he can't tell anything from the xray so I need to go to the hospital and have a CT scan or MRI done asap. But, Oeja had night classes on Wednesday, so she scheduled the appointment for Friday.
On Friday, we left school after lunch and headed to Pohang for the appointment. I find out they're going to do a CT scan with contrast so they give me and IV and I have my first CT scan. They send the results to the doc, she tells me I have a cyst on my right ovary, and they send me upstairs to the Gynecology and Obstetrics doc. He tells they need to operate to remove it, I lose it a little bit, and that he wants to do the operation tomorrow, Saturday, morning at 9 am so they need to admit me to the hospital tonight so they can get everything ready and do pre-op in the morning. Holy wow. At this point I am reeling. So we begin the admittance process and all the necessary test before surgery. I texted Susan right after I found out what it was as she had asked me to let her know, and also because I needed to tell someone. She called my mom and dad in the states and left a message since it was 2am there. Unfortunately, since they wanted to admit me that night, I didn't even get a chance to go home and pack a bag or get anything. Susan came Friday night and brought me a bag of stuff and took my key so she could take care of Switch for me. She also stayed Friday, all of Saturday, Saturday night, and half of Sunday. I really don't know if I would have been able to do it without her. God blessed me so much when he placed her in Yeongdeok.
So Saturday morning rolled around and after the doctor finished his rounds, they came and got me for surgery. The anesthesia must have worked because I don't remember much of Saturday after about 9. The operation went perfect, they removed the cyst, and there was no damage to the ovary. I also found out later when the results came back from the biopsy that it was completely benign and everything is fine. But it's good we caught it when we did because apparently cysts can burst. :/ After the surgery I had to stay in the hospital for 6 days for recovery which presented obnoxious roommates and their family, daily phone calls from my mom, frustration at the absence of internet in the hospital, seriously, what kind of hospital doesn't have internet, horrrrrible hospital food, apparently that's universal, a lonely Thanksgiving, and an all around crap week. Oeja came and drove me home on Friday, and I spent the weekend relearning how to walk upright without and IV attached to me. Switch was very glad to have me home, and I fully indulged in the attention. I love my cat. :]
The next Monday I went back to school and things have pretty much been back to normal since then. My high school students made me a fantastic paper with their wishes for me to "no sick," the Taekwondo kids all signed a card that Susan brought me with their sentiments to get better, and I have been making steady progress towards being 100% again as soon as possible. I had a checkup the Friday after I got out of the hospital to make sure everything was okay and was deemed "normal" by the doc because "normal people have 2 ovaries and 1 uterus, so, you're normal." Good to know doc, thanks. I am not waiting the recommended six weeks before exercising but am only going as far as my body will let me. I don't need to be seeing any more doctors.
I will however, be seeing the beautiful Philippines in January. I started planning my vacation and will be spending 16 glorious days in the sun and the ocean, soaking up every bit of warmth and relaxation I can manage. I am going with a friend from orientation, Lucy, and we are going to have more fun than should be allowed. But, I'll make a separate post about how very very excited I am about that and other more fun and interesting things later. ♥
So Wednesday, November 16, my coteacher, Oeja, insisted on taking me to the doctor since I was out Monday and Tuesday sick. It was a pretty standard appointment. What are your symptoms, where does it hurt, the usual. Then he has me lay down on the bed to do the part where they push around on your stomach just to make sure everything's okay. Well, I had found a lump about a month earlier in my lower abdomen, and told Oeja that I needed to see a doctor when it wasn't getting any smaller. That was the beginning of November. But, between her busy schedule and everything going on at school, the third graders huge, life changing test, and the school festival, we hadn't gotten around to it yet. So, back to my appointment. The doctor starts pushing around on my stomach and finds the lump, it was kind of hard to miss. So he tells me I need to have an xray, and they send me back to the xray room. After, we go back in to talk to the doc and he tells me he can't tell anything from the xray so I need to go to the hospital and have a CT scan or MRI done asap. But, Oeja had night classes on Wednesday, so she scheduled the appointment for Friday.
On Friday, we left school after lunch and headed to Pohang for the appointment. I find out they're going to do a CT scan with contrast so they give me and IV and I have my first CT scan. They send the results to the doc, she tells me I have a cyst on my right ovary, and they send me upstairs to the Gynecology and Obstetrics doc. He tells they need to operate to remove it, I lose it a little bit, and that he wants to do the operation tomorrow, Saturday, morning at 9 am so they need to admit me to the hospital tonight so they can get everything ready and do pre-op in the morning. Holy wow. At this point I am reeling. So we begin the admittance process and all the necessary test before surgery. I texted Susan right after I found out what it was as she had asked me to let her know, and also because I needed to tell someone. She called my mom and dad in the states and left a message since it was 2am there. Unfortunately, since they wanted to admit me that night, I didn't even get a chance to go home and pack a bag or get anything. Susan came Friday night and brought me a bag of stuff and took my key so she could take care of Switch for me. She also stayed Friday, all of Saturday, Saturday night, and half of Sunday. I really don't know if I would have been able to do it without her. God blessed me so much when he placed her in Yeongdeok.
So Saturday morning rolled around and after the doctor finished his rounds, they came and got me for surgery. The anesthesia must have worked because I don't remember much of Saturday after about 9. The operation went perfect, they removed the cyst, and there was no damage to the ovary. I also found out later when the results came back from the biopsy that it was completely benign and everything is fine. But it's good we caught it when we did because apparently cysts can burst. :/ After the surgery I had to stay in the hospital for 6 days for recovery which presented obnoxious roommates and their family, daily phone calls from my mom, frustration at the absence of internet in the hospital, seriously, what kind of hospital doesn't have internet, horrrrrible hospital food, apparently that's universal, a lonely Thanksgiving, and an all around crap week. Oeja came and drove me home on Friday, and I spent the weekend relearning how to walk upright without and IV attached to me. Switch was very glad to have me home, and I fully indulged in the attention. I love my cat. :]
The next Monday I went back to school and things have pretty much been back to normal since then. My high school students made me a fantastic paper with their wishes for me to "no sick," the Taekwondo kids all signed a card that Susan brought me with their sentiments to get better, and I have been making steady progress towards being 100% again as soon as possible. I had a checkup the Friday after I got out of the hospital to make sure everything was okay and was deemed "normal" by the doc because "normal people have 2 ovaries and 1 uterus, so, you're normal." Good to know doc, thanks. I am not waiting the recommended six weeks before exercising but am only going as far as my body will let me. I don't need to be seeing any more doctors.
I will however, be seeing the beautiful Philippines in January. I started planning my vacation and will be spending 16 glorious days in the sun and the ocean, soaking up every bit of warmth and relaxation I can manage. I am going with a friend from orientation, Lucy, and we are going to have more fun than should be allowed. But, I'll make a separate post about how very very excited I am about that and other more fun and interesting things later. ♥
Friday, November 18, 2011
Student's Paper About Twilight
My 2nd grade middle school conversation class was required to write an English essay about anything they wanted. There were some really great ones but I just had to share this one. It's Twilight - from the eyes of a 16 year old Korean girl.
This is typed exactly as I received it, before any corrections. Enjoy. I did. :]
Hello.
My name is Jin Hwa.
I usually read books once a week.
I will explain the most exciting book I was reading.
The title of the book is 'twilight'.
First, I saw the movie and then I knew that there is original books.
The main contents of this book is the love between Edward who is vampire and Bella who is person.
The story begins that Bella transferred to the Forks.
And there were living a vampire family, The Cullens.
The family had to live among humans, it is because they do not hunt humans.
The youngest family members Edward feels a severe thirst for blood.
Edward has the ability to read thoughts. And only Bella can avoid it.
So he sometimes go the other place because Edward feels curiosity and thirst for Bella. But Edward soon realizes that it is love.
And they are falling in love.
However, Bella are in danger by the emergence of an intruder between the two, but Edward eventually obtained.
Their Love is dangerous, but you know to get so big.
the most impressive part that I saw was a part of Edward and Bella's first kiss.
Because I never have seen to kiss a vampire and a human ,I read this part in detail.
Edward lived about 100 years, and Bella lived 17 years, but it is both first kiss.
And between them, there are the food chain.
Edward is the vampires who is the best carnivorous animal and to hunt only human or animal.
And Bella is just human who can be thri game,
So, this moment are the parts that can know their love truly.
The book is the combination of fantasy and romance.
When I read this book, I thought if I fall in love with vampire, What will I do?
Will continue to conform with the risk in?
Can I live forever like them?
Of course it is not posible.
I thought that I can be the vampire when I read this book.
In fact, there may be vampire.
This book consists of a series followed by a story unfolds.
The first book 'Twilight' are drawn the meeting of the Edward and Bella.
Second book "New Moon" comes about Edward and Bella's love and the crisis.
The third book 'Eclipse' fights a war with the new vampire and the proposal of Edward is the main contents.
Fourth book 'Breaking Dawn' is the center that Edward and Bella's marriage and pregnancy.
I do not like fantasy novels, which oddly enough, this book are very interesting.
Twilight can be Introduction of my fantasy novel.
On December 01, "Breaking Dawn Part 1" coming up, I'm going to just go to the cinema.
Movie as much as funny book is expecting.
Fantasy fiction, if the people who have preconceived ideas about the 'Twilight' is recommended reading.
After reading the book You should see the movies!
I love 'Twilight".
Fantastic, eh?
This is typed exactly as I received it, before any corrections. Enjoy. I did. :]
Hello.
My name is Jin Hwa.
I usually read books once a week.
I will explain the most exciting book I was reading.
The title of the book is 'twilight'.
First, I saw the movie and then I knew that there is original books.
The main contents of this book is the love between Edward who is vampire and Bella who is person.
The story begins that Bella transferred to the Forks.
And there were living a vampire family, The Cullens.
The family had to live among humans, it is because they do not hunt humans.
The youngest family members Edward feels a severe thirst for blood.
Edward has the ability to read thoughts. And only Bella can avoid it.
So he sometimes go the other place because Edward feels curiosity and thirst for Bella. But Edward soon realizes that it is love.
And they are falling in love.
However, Bella are in danger by the emergence of an intruder between the two, but Edward eventually obtained.
Their Love is dangerous, but you know to get so big.
the most impressive part that I saw was a part of Edward and Bella's first kiss.
Because I never have seen to kiss a vampire and a human ,I read this part in detail.
Edward lived about 100 years, and Bella lived 17 years, but it is both first kiss.
And between them, there are the food chain.
Edward is the vampires who is the best carnivorous animal and to hunt only human or animal.
And Bella is just human who can be thri game,
So, this moment are the parts that can know their love truly.
The book is the combination of fantasy and romance.
When I read this book, I thought if I fall in love with vampire, What will I do?
Will continue to conform with the risk in?
Can I live forever like them?
Of course it is not posible.
I thought that I can be the vampire when I read this book.
In fact, there may be vampire.
This book consists of a series followed by a story unfolds.
The first book 'Twilight' are drawn the meeting of the Edward and Bella.
Second book "New Moon" comes about Edward and Bella's love and the crisis.
The third book 'Eclipse' fights a war with the new vampire and the proposal of Edward is the main contents.
Fourth book 'Breaking Dawn' is the center that Edward and Bella's marriage and pregnancy.
I do not like fantasy novels, which oddly enough, this book are very interesting.
Twilight can be Introduction of my fantasy novel.
On December 01, "Breaking Dawn Part 1" coming up, I'm going to just go to the cinema.
Movie as much as funny book is expecting.
Fantasy fiction, if the people who have preconceived ideas about the 'Twilight' is recommended reading.
After reading the book You should see the movies!
I love 'Twilight".
Fantastic, eh?
Long Overdue
Sorry I haven't been around much lately. Life has a way of sweeping me up and although I never forgot about the blog, posting just kept getting pushed farther down on the to-do list. I feel like nothing has happened since my last post but I'm sure once I start writing this one everything will come flooding back. Which is why the posts always end up being 3 miles long. Anyway, guess I better just jump right in.
Halloween came and went without too much excitement, being a holiday Korea doesn't celebrate, and November came in full force. With colder winds and freezing nights, my heater has been my new best friend. Also, it has led me to believe I may take up knitting to make another blanket. Of course, it's something I've always wanted to learn anyway, but another one of those things I'll get around to "later" that has a way of never happening.
So weeks are flying by. I feel like every time I turn around it's Monday and I'm doing it all over again. The weekends are the only time anything eventful happens and those fly by just as fast. The weekend after Halloween I went to Daegu with a friend from orientation to help her celebrate her birthday and had a great time catching up with everyone else from orientation who met up with us. Then headed back home on Sunday and began the week.
This was the week of the big exam for the 3rd grade high schoolers, which was on Thursday, and then the school sports day and festival that my girls in the English club have been preparing Goldilocks and the 3 Bears for. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were regular days with the exception of practice during lunch. Thursday was...confusing. I thought Oeja had told me the week before that since she wouldn't be there, she was supervising the exam, that I would not go to the middle school so that I could help the students practice more for the play. So Thursday morning I went to the high school and started on the computer, per usual. Until the phone rings at the head teacher's desk. It was Mrs. Keong from middle school asking if I had forgotten that I had class this morning. The class that I haven't seen in 3 weeks because she kept canceling so she could finish the textbook with them. So by this point it's about 9:15 or so. So I try to explain to her that I didn't forget I just thought I didn't have to go because of what Oeja said. She didn't understand or didn't believe me or some combination thereof so I told her I would be there in a few minutes. I grabbed my things and headed over. By the time I got there it was after 9:20, and the class only goes until 9:45. So I jumped into the lesson, frazzled and irritated and got as much done as possible. During the break I tried again to explain to Mrs. Keong that I wasn't trying to ditch the class and I hadn't forgotten, there was just a misunderstanding. To no avail. After finishing my second class, and last of the day, I went back over to the high school and finished my day there. Until Mrs. Keong came over at the end of the day to tell me that the head of the Yeongdeok Education Office was coming next week to review her testing of the students and she didn't have time to make the test blahblahblah. So she wanted me to do it. Her work. After being retarded and pissy that same morning. Whatever.
So Friday rolled around with beautiful weather, a nice warm day, and a wonderful combination of Pepero Day and the school festival. Pepero Day is on November 11 every year but was of course extra special this year since it was 11/11/11. On Pepero Day students buy lots of Pepero, or Pocky, which is the biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate, almonds, or strawberry, and give them out to friends and teachers. It is on 11/11 because the sticks are long and thin and apparently look like one's. Seems silly but I will not be arguing with a holiday that has children (and the principal) giving me delicious chocolate and strawberry covered biscuit sticks. :] These were enjoyed thoroughly as I watched the students spend the first half of the day outside in the sunshine having sports day. They played dodgeball, a lot - these kids are serious about competitions, this awesome game with a giant ball where each team has four players and three have to squat and hold the ball while the fourth runs up and hits it (similar to the way you would hit a volleyball) and then the other team tries to catch it. If they drop it, the other team gets a point. Anyway, looks like loads of fun and the girls are so funny when they play it. They also played tug-o-war with a very large rope. After sports everyone split for lunch and then began the final preparations for the talent show part of the day. I drew noses on and gave ears on headbands to my 3 bears, gave Goldilocks her golden yarn wig, ran through our lines a final time. Then everyone headed to the gym/auditorium and the show began. There was dancing, singing, and merriment all around. We did our play, unfortunately I could not get anyone to take a video or even pictures :[ but I did get a few shots of everyone before, and the girls did a wonderful job. Then I joined the audience and enjoyed the rest of the performances. Also, I now know why they split the girls and boys and the girls wear uniforms and are not allowed makeup. My girls are closet freaks. My sweet shy little Goldilocks came up on the stage in a group that was doing a dance in tight black pants and a long sleeve white dress shirt tied up around her waist and danced like she was doing it for money. It was crazy, and definitely a little view altering. I will never look at those girls the same. It was just such a blatant display of what this culture promotes in young girls when they're given the freedom to express themselves with no limitations. Not that our culture does any better certainly, but eye opening all the same. It's another one of those things where this country has such a glaring juxtaposition of ideas. On one hand they put their girls in uniforms and forbid makeup, maintaining that exposed shoulders or any chest, not even cleavage, just skin on the chest, is taboo, but showing the entire leg and fearing everything else will be falling out at any given moment and encouraging the obscene amount of makeup they put on and the scandalous dancing is not only acceptable but rewarded. One girl, a 16 year old in one of my classes, did a chair dance for pete's sake. As in, a chair dance. I was speechless. Aside from the minor culture shock and reminder of the inane contrasts of culture and appropriateness in this country, the girls did a wonderful job and the night was a total success. I left with a smile on my face and even happier that it was the weekend.
I had been feeling a little wimpy all week and the weekend brought a cold raging full strength. I spent it curled up in bed reading and trying to sleep it away. With no luck. I called out Monday and Tuesday and did not, to the disdain and irritation of, and obscene amounts of worry from Oeja, go to the "hospital" (what they call every doctor) to get meds. I went back to school on Wednesday and after seeing my face, apparently I still looked quite ill, Oeja cancelled my first class for the day, Mr. Ha cancelled my second, and when I put my head down on my desk to rest for a bit, all the teachers went crazy. They were apparently so worried about me that they insisted that Oeja take me to the doctor to get medicine. And, at her insistence, and complete and total unwillingness to take no for an answer, off we went. So I had my first trip to the doctors, an x ray and a prescription later, I paid my $6 to the lady at the desk and we headed over to the pharmacy. My 3 days of pill cocktails set me back a whopping $2 and we went back to the school. I spent the rest of the day at my desk.
Which brings us to yesterday, Thursday. I came in, early, prepared and ready to teach, not as common as you might think, only to find that my classes had been cancelled for the day so the students could practice for the school festival which is apparently today. No one had told me the middle school was having their festival, much less that it was today. So instead of classes, Mrs. Keong comes in about 10 with the stack of essays that my conversation class wrote for her thing for the head of the Education Office for me to correct. She was going to bring them to me on Monday but since I called out Monday and Tuesday, which I'm sure she thinks I did to spite her, and she obviously was not going to do her own work, no matter what. So I start in, when she comes back about 10 minutes later and tells me that I also need to create 2 crosswords, with 10 clues each, for the students to do as part of this test. :/ When she comes in 2 hours later to see if I'm done yet - correcting 8 essays.... - she adds that I also need to make a conversation to have with student with 10 lines for each person to test their listening and speaking abilities. When I tell her okay, but I'm not finished with the essays yet she says "Well this is your work today. You're very busy today huh? Will you get the crosswords done? Will you do the conversation today?" With each question she gets more insistent and pisses me off a little more. I assure her it will all be done and mentally suggest she leave before I lose control of my tongue. She has now given me all of her work and then gotten crazy when she thought I wouldn't get it done in time. ..... Cue angry Rose. So I go back to working on the essays, and get to one that has no mistakes, is written in high English, and has numbered bullet points in it. So I google the name of the paper, "How can I improve my English conversation skills" and violia! The first link google finds with the title of the paper is, you guessed it, her entire paper. Word for word. She didn't even bother to read it. If she had, she would have seen the line that says "To find immigration offices near you go to Services Near You." Well, on the original, "Services Near You" is a link. Nice-uhhh. <- How Koreans say "nice." So I take the paper down to Mrs. Keong and explain to her that the student didn't write the paper and she says "Oh, you know the student?" "No, I don't know her. But she copied this from the internet." "*indignant tone and look* The students were allowed to use the internet for help." "No, she copied it straight from the internet. She didn't write this." "Oh. Are you sure?" "Yes." "Are you really sure? Really sure?" "Yes, I can show you." "Oh no. Okay, just rank her last." ....
Really, that's all you're going to do? So I ranked it last and wrote on the top of the paper "Copied from internet. :[ " BUSTED. :D And start working on the next paper.
So in she comes about 2:30 to see if I'm done. Well, I had just finished one paper that took me over an hour because I had to stop at every sentence not just to correct it but to try to decipher and guess the meaning, then correct it. I only had one paper, plus the one I was working on left. She wants to know which one is first - I was to rank them 1st to 8th based on the number of corrections, etc after correcting - and when I tell her which one is first, she looked at the name and then looks at me. Well, one of the students in the 3rd grade, Sun Gu, though she's not in my conversation class so I'm not even sure why she wrote an essay, lived in Canada for 2 years and one of her parents in Canadian. So she speaks/writes English almost fluently. Mrs. Keong loves this girl and definitely plays favorites. She was certain that her paper was the best and she should be first. Mrs. Keong did not read any of the papers and only knows what they are about by reading the title. She insists that Sun Gu's should be the first rank. I tell her that another student's paper is better, with less mistakes, and she says, well surely she copied it from the internet. I assure I checked very thoroughly and that she did not copy it from the internet. She tells me "Then she must have copied it from somewhere else. Sun Gu should be first. Look, her [Sun Gu] paper is 3 pages. This other paper is almost one." Well, Sun Gu's paper was two with a few lines on a third page, and the other paper was 1 and 3/4 of a 2nd page. Not to mention, since when does length of a paper determine quality... yeah. Plus, the other student had fewer mistakes and does not have anyone in her family that speaks English and certainly never lived in an English speaking country, much less for two years. Now, Sun Gu is not my favorite student, but I have nothing against her. She is lazy, but it's because she can afford to be. She's very intelligent and definitely has the upper hand in everything English related. So she doesn't need to try, and she knows it. Anyway, I'm being objective about this, and trying to stay calm, while Mrs. Keong just keeps insisting that Sun Gu be first. Not a discussion I'm going to win. I acquiesce, and go back to correcting the paper I was working on. When I finally finish the essays, I start the crosswords and am just finishing the first when Mrs. Keong comes in, all panicky to see if I'm finished. I give her the essays, ranked, and tell her I'm working on the crosswords. She says thank you once and leaves. Angry Rose. I finish the work and at 4, an hour before I usually leave, she comes in to tell me I can go home if I've finished. I have, and give her my USB with everything on it. No thank you. Nothing. Angrier Rose. She copies it and I leave. This woman infuriates me. Almost instantaneously. She is ungrateful and demanding and annoying. Not a good combination of things. Thank the lord I have Oeja at the high school or my experience here would be drastically different and I'm thinking significantly shorter than a year.
Anyway, today is a new day. The middle school festival is today, though I have yet to see any of it as it is rainy and cold outside, I think they may be doing it upstairs, but I don't care enough to go see. I don't even hardly know any of the students here, classes get cancelled so often.
Anyway, that's my life. Not too different from home, though significantly colder.
Oh, and I started Taekwondo last week. I go Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of every week. It's wonderful. I really love it. The teacher is great and we're in a kid class so I don't feel like I'm being judged. Which is nice. I hope to get my uniform, which is not called a gi - those are karate uniforms. Taekwondo uniforms are called dobo's. As in Taekwondo-bo - this weekend from Pohang. And possibly some retail therapy with the lovely Susan (the Korean-Canadian that lives in my town and takes Taekwondo with me and is a complete sweetheart).
Welp, off to do no work and read. :]
Miss you all and love dearly. ♥
Halloween came and went without too much excitement, being a holiday Korea doesn't celebrate, and November came in full force. With colder winds and freezing nights, my heater has been my new best friend. Also, it has led me to believe I may take up knitting to make another blanket. Of course, it's something I've always wanted to learn anyway, but another one of those things I'll get around to "later" that has a way of never happening.
So weeks are flying by. I feel like every time I turn around it's Monday and I'm doing it all over again. The weekends are the only time anything eventful happens and those fly by just as fast. The weekend after Halloween I went to Daegu with a friend from orientation to help her celebrate her birthday and had a great time catching up with everyone else from orientation who met up with us. Then headed back home on Sunday and began the week.
This was the week of the big exam for the 3rd grade high schoolers, which was on Thursday, and then the school sports day and festival that my girls in the English club have been preparing Goldilocks and the 3 Bears for. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were regular days with the exception of practice during lunch. Thursday was...confusing. I thought Oeja had told me the week before that since she wouldn't be there, she was supervising the exam, that I would not go to the middle school so that I could help the students practice more for the play. So Thursday morning I went to the high school and started on the computer, per usual. Until the phone rings at the head teacher's desk. It was Mrs. Keong from middle school asking if I had forgotten that I had class this morning. The class that I haven't seen in 3 weeks because she kept canceling so she could finish the textbook with them. So by this point it's about 9:15 or so. So I try to explain to her that I didn't forget I just thought I didn't have to go because of what Oeja said. She didn't understand or didn't believe me or some combination thereof so I told her I would be there in a few minutes. I grabbed my things and headed over. By the time I got there it was after 9:20, and the class only goes until 9:45. So I jumped into the lesson, frazzled and irritated and got as much done as possible. During the break I tried again to explain to Mrs. Keong that I wasn't trying to ditch the class and I hadn't forgotten, there was just a misunderstanding. To no avail. After finishing my second class, and last of the day, I went back over to the high school and finished my day there. Until Mrs. Keong came over at the end of the day to tell me that the head of the Yeongdeok Education Office was coming next week to review her testing of the students and she didn't have time to make the test blahblahblah. So she wanted me to do it. Her work. After being retarded and pissy that same morning. Whatever.
So Friday rolled around with beautiful weather, a nice warm day, and a wonderful combination of Pepero Day and the school festival. Pepero Day is on November 11 every year but was of course extra special this year since it was 11/11/11. On Pepero Day students buy lots of Pepero, or Pocky, which is the biscuit sticks dipped in chocolate, almonds, or strawberry, and give them out to friends and teachers. It is on 11/11 because the sticks are long and thin and apparently look like one's. Seems silly but I will not be arguing with a holiday that has children (and the principal) giving me delicious chocolate and strawberry covered biscuit sticks. :] These were enjoyed thoroughly as I watched the students spend the first half of the day outside in the sunshine having sports day. They played dodgeball, a lot - these kids are serious about competitions, this awesome game with a giant ball where each team has four players and three have to squat and hold the ball while the fourth runs up and hits it (similar to the way you would hit a volleyball) and then the other team tries to catch it. If they drop it, the other team gets a point. Anyway, looks like loads of fun and the girls are so funny when they play it. They also played tug-o-war with a very large rope. After sports everyone split for lunch and then began the final preparations for the talent show part of the day. I drew noses on and gave ears on headbands to my 3 bears, gave Goldilocks her golden yarn wig, ran through our lines a final time. Then everyone headed to the gym/auditorium and the show began. There was dancing, singing, and merriment all around. We did our play, unfortunately I could not get anyone to take a video or even pictures :[ but I did get a few shots of everyone before, and the girls did a wonderful job. Then I joined the audience and enjoyed the rest of the performances. Also, I now know why they split the girls and boys and the girls wear uniforms and are not allowed makeup. My girls are closet freaks. My sweet shy little Goldilocks came up on the stage in a group that was doing a dance in tight black pants and a long sleeve white dress shirt tied up around her waist and danced like she was doing it for money. It was crazy, and definitely a little view altering. I will never look at those girls the same. It was just such a blatant display of what this culture promotes in young girls when they're given the freedom to express themselves with no limitations. Not that our culture does any better certainly, but eye opening all the same. It's another one of those things where this country has such a glaring juxtaposition of ideas. On one hand they put their girls in uniforms and forbid makeup, maintaining that exposed shoulders or any chest, not even cleavage, just skin on the chest, is taboo, but showing the entire leg and fearing everything else will be falling out at any given moment and encouraging the obscene amount of makeup they put on and the scandalous dancing is not only acceptable but rewarded. One girl, a 16 year old in one of my classes, did a chair dance for pete's sake. As in, a chair dance. I was speechless. Aside from the minor culture shock and reminder of the inane contrasts of culture and appropriateness in this country, the girls did a wonderful job and the night was a total success. I left with a smile on my face and even happier that it was the weekend.
I had been feeling a little wimpy all week and the weekend brought a cold raging full strength. I spent it curled up in bed reading and trying to sleep it away. With no luck. I called out Monday and Tuesday and did not, to the disdain and irritation of, and obscene amounts of worry from Oeja, go to the "hospital" (what they call every doctor) to get meds. I went back to school on Wednesday and after seeing my face, apparently I still looked quite ill, Oeja cancelled my first class for the day, Mr. Ha cancelled my second, and when I put my head down on my desk to rest for a bit, all the teachers went crazy. They were apparently so worried about me that they insisted that Oeja take me to the doctor to get medicine. And, at her insistence, and complete and total unwillingness to take no for an answer, off we went. So I had my first trip to the doctors, an x ray and a prescription later, I paid my $6 to the lady at the desk and we headed over to the pharmacy. My 3 days of pill cocktails set me back a whopping $2 and we went back to the school. I spent the rest of the day at my desk.
Which brings us to yesterday, Thursday. I came in, early, prepared and ready to teach, not as common as you might think, only to find that my classes had been cancelled for the day so the students could practice for the school festival which is apparently today. No one had told me the middle school was having their festival, much less that it was today. So instead of classes, Mrs. Keong comes in about 10 with the stack of essays that my conversation class wrote for her thing for the head of the Education Office for me to correct. She was going to bring them to me on Monday but since I called out Monday and Tuesday, which I'm sure she thinks I did to spite her, and she obviously was not going to do her own work, no matter what. So I start in, when she comes back about 10 minutes later and tells me that I also need to create 2 crosswords, with 10 clues each, for the students to do as part of this test. :/ When she comes in 2 hours later to see if I'm done yet - correcting 8 essays.... - she adds that I also need to make a conversation to have with student with 10 lines for each person to test their listening and speaking abilities. When I tell her okay, but I'm not finished with the essays yet she says "Well this is your work today. You're very busy today huh? Will you get the crosswords done? Will you do the conversation today?" With each question she gets more insistent and pisses me off a little more. I assure her it will all be done and mentally suggest she leave before I lose control of my tongue. She has now given me all of her work and then gotten crazy when she thought I wouldn't get it done in time. ..... Cue angry Rose. So I go back to working on the essays, and get to one that has no mistakes, is written in high English, and has numbered bullet points in it. So I google the name of the paper, "How can I improve my English conversation skills" and violia! The first link google finds with the title of the paper is, you guessed it, her entire paper. Word for word. She didn't even bother to read it. If she had, she would have seen the line that says "To find immigration offices near you go to Services Near You." Well, on the original, "Services Near You" is a link. Nice-uhhh. <- How Koreans say "nice." So I take the paper down to Mrs. Keong and explain to her that the student didn't write the paper and she says "Oh, you know the student?" "No, I don't know her. But she copied this from the internet." "*indignant tone and look* The students were allowed to use the internet for help." "No, she copied it straight from the internet. She didn't write this." "Oh. Are you sure?" "Yes." "Are you really sure? Really sure?" "Yes, I can show you." "Oh no. Okay, just rank her last." ....
Really, that's all you're going to do? So I ranked it last and wrote on the top of the paper "Copied from internet. :[ " BUSTED. :D And start working on the next paper.
So in she comes about 2:30 to see if I'm done. Well, I had just finished one paper that took me over an hour because I had to stop at every sentence not just to correct it but to try to decipher and guess the meaning, then correct it. I only had one paper, plus the one I was working on left. She wants to know which one is first - I was to rank them 1st to 8th based on the number of corrections, etc after correcting - and when I tell her which one is first, she looked at the name and then looks at me. Well, one of the students in the 3rd grade, Sun Gu, though she's not in my conversation class so I'm not even sure why she wrote an essay, lived in Canada for 2 years and one of her parents in Canadian. So she speaks/writes English almost fluently. Mrs. Keong loves this girl and definitely plays favorites. She was certain that her paper was the best and she should be first. Mrs. Keong did not read any of the papers and only knows what they are about by reading the title. She insists that Sun Gu's should be the first rank. I tell her that another student's paper is better, with less mistakes, and she says, well surely she copied it from the internet. I assure I checked very thoroughly and that she did not copy it from the internet. She tells me "Then she must have copied it from somewhere else. Sun Gu should be first. Look, her [Sun Gu] paper is 3 pages. This other paper is almost one." Well, Sun Gu's paper was two with a few lines on a third page, and the other paper was 1 and 3/4 of a 2nd page. Not to mention, since when does length of a paper determine quality... yeah. Plus, the other student had fewer mistakes and does not have anyone in her family that speaks English and certainly never lived in an English speaking country, much less for two years. Now, Sun Gu is not my favorite student, but I have nothing against her. She is lazy, but it's because she can afford to be. She's very intelligent and definitely has the upper hand in everything English related. So she doesn't need to try, and she knows it. Anyway, I'm being objective about this, and trying to stay calm, while Mrs. Keong just keeps insisting that Sun Gu be first. Not a discussion I'm going to win. I acquiesce, and go back to correcting the paper I was working on. When I finally finish the essays, I start the crosswords and am just finishing the first when Mrs. Keong comes in, all panicky to see if I'm finished. I give her the essays, ranked, and tell her I'm working on the crosswords. She says thank you once and leaves. Angry Rose. I finish the work and at 4, an hour before I usually leave, she comes in to tell me I can go home if I've finished. I have, and give her my USB with everything on it. No thank you. Nothing. Angrier Rose. She copies it and I leave. This woman infuriates me. Almost instantaneously. She is ungrateful and demanding and annoying. Not a good combination of things. Thank the lord I have Oeja at the high school or my experience here would be drastically different and I'm thinking significantly shorter than a year.
Anyway, today is a new day. The middle school festival is today, though I have yet to see any of it as it is rainy and cold outside, I think they may be doing it upstairs, but I don't care enough to go see. I don't even hardly know any of the students here, classes get cancelled so often.
Anyway, that's my life. Not too different from home, though significantly colder.
Oh, and I started Taekwondo last week. I go Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday of every week. It's wonderful. I really love it. The teacher is great and we're in a kid class so I don't feel like I'm being judged. Which is nice. I hope to get my uniform, which is not called a gi - those are karate uniforms. Taekwondo uniforms are called dobo's. As in Taekwondo-bo - this weekend from Pohang. And possibly some retail therapy with the lovely Susan (the Korean-Canadian that lives in my town and takes Taekwondo with me and is a complete sweetheart).
Welp, off to do no work and read. :]
Miss you all and love dearly. ♥
Monday, October 31, 2011
Time flies when you're having fun, and rice.
Hey everyone. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted anything. Life sort of gets away from me. I always mean to post and then I get distracted by something and then I turn around and it's time for class and then I turn around and it's time to go home and then I look at the clock and it's two in the morning. So, exactly like home. :]
The last few weeks have been relatively uneventful. The week after Seoul I had a bit of a cold but nothing serious and it faded within a few days. After spending two weekends traveling and sleeping in strange places, I was ready for a relaxing weekend at home. Spent two days cleaning, doing laundry, watching movies, reading and thoroughly enjoying doing nothing. :]
The next week I unfortunately got my first migraine in Korea which came on Wednesday night and stuck around until Saturday afternoon. I called out of work Thursday and Friday and had to cancel my plans for the weekend to head to Busan to see the friends I made at Global Gathering, celebrate Mark's birthday, and see the International Fireworks Competition. I was disappointed but after two days in bed, a big weekend just wasn't happening. Since I was feeling better on Sunday I decided to finally make my way out to Jangsa beach, the closest beach to my house. Which is about a dollar and 15 minute bus ride. It was wonderful to have my feet in the sand and waves crashing at the shore. I felt like I was home. I've decided as long as I'm by the ocean, I'm never too far from home. Then I grabbed a bus and went to Pohang for some grocery shopping and dinner before heading back home and calling it a night.
Monday came too early, as usual, but with a nice surprise of no student class and only one teacher class. Also, apparently Mr. Pa and Mrs. Keong have decided that they don't want to have English teacher class and since Oeja had a student class this week, that was canceled too. :] The rest of the week sped by with Halloween lesson plans for the high school students and the rest of my easy Directions lesson. Following directions (as in to a place, though I think this week we might cover directions like "Close your face" and "Be silent") and a review on giving directions.
This weekend was fun. I spent Saturday hanging out at home and then got ready and went to Pohang to Tilt for a fabulous costume party. :] I was a black cat. I made ears out of foam board and super glued them to a black headband. Pair that with a black dress, stockings, and some serious eye makeup and eyeliner for a nose and whiskers done by yours truly, and I was pretty attention getting. ;] I met a Marine :D, some of Mark's friends, and a few asian guys on the street haha. I only wore some of the eye makeup (no eyeliner or other face makeup) on the bus, and no ears, which for me was still a lot of makeup, way more than I ususally wear, but the asian guys apparently thought I looked great. And not out of place at all. I felt totally painted but I guess in a culture where women don't leave the house without being dressed and makeuped to the nines, my normal is just not doing it for them haha. Good thing I'm not here to impress anyone. :] So anywho, I had a wonderful time dancing my heart out and enjoying the festivities until about 4 then took a taxi and crashed for the night. Sunday I had plans to go hiking up a mountain on the outskirts of Pohang but a completely overcast sky and shivering temperatures decided otherwise for me. So I spent the day hanging out in Pohang and then made the journey home to my lonely kitty. She misses me so much when I'm gone and is such a cuddler when I come home. Even if it's just being gone at work. It's so cute.
So, now it's Monday again and tomorrow is the first day of November. Hard to believe I've already been here 2 and a half months. I've already seen so much and I can't wait to see everything else the country has to offer. Hope everyone at home is well. Miss you and love you. ♥
The last few weeks have been relatively uneventful. The week after Seoul I had a bit of a cold but nothing serious and it faded within a few days. After spending two weekends traveling and sleeping in strange places, I was ready for a relaxing weekend at home. Spent two days cleaning, doing laundry, watching movies, reading and thoroughly enjoying doing nothing. :]
The next week I unfortunately got my first migraine in Korea which came on Wednesday night and stuck around until Saturday afternoon. I called out of work Thursday and Friday and had to cancel my plans for the weekend to head to Busan to see the friends I made at Global Gathering, celebrate Mark's birthday, and see the International Fireworks Competition. I was disappointed but after two days in bed, a big weekend just wasn't happening. Since I was feeling better on Sunday I decided to finally make my way out to Jangsa beach, the closest beach to my house. Which is about a dollar and 15 minute bus ride. It was wonderful to have my feet in the sand and waves crashing at the shore. I felt like I was home. I've decided as long as I'm by the ocean, I'm never too far from home. Then I grabbed a bus and went to Pohang for some grocery shopping and dinner before heading back home and calling it a night.
Monday came too early, as usual, but with a nice surprise of no student class and only one teacher class. Also, apparently Mr. Pa and Mrs. Keong have decided that they don't want to have English teacher class and since Oeja had a student class this week, that was canceled too. :] The rest of the week sped by with Halloween lesson plans for the high school students and the rest of my easy Directions lesson. Following directions (as in to a place, though I think this week we might cover directions like "Close your face" and "Be silent") and a review on giving directions.
This weekend was fun. I spent Saturday hanging out at home and then got ready and went to Pohang to Tilt for a fabulous costume party. :] I was a black cat. I made ears out of foam board and super glued them to a black headband. Pair that with a black dress, stockings, and some serious eye makeup and eyeliner for a nose and whiskers done by yours truly, and I was pretty attention getting. ;] I met a Marine :D, some of Mark's friends, and a few asian guys on the street haha. I only wore some of the eye makeup (no eyeliner or other face makeup) on the bus, and no ears, which for me was still a lot of makeup, way more than I ususally wear, but the asian guys apparently thought I looked great. And not out of place at all. I felt totally painted but I guess in a culture where women don't leave the house without being dressed and makeuped to the nines, my normal is just not doing it for them haha. Good thing I'm not here to impress anyone. :] So anywho, I had a wonderful time dancing my heart out and enjoying the festivities until about 4 then took a taxi and crashed for the night. Sunday I had plans to go hiking up a mountain on the outskirts of Pohang but a completely overcast sky and shivering temperatures decided otherwise for me. So I spent the day hanging out in Pohang and then made the journey home to my lonely kitty. She misses me so much when I'm gone and is such a cuddler when I come home. Even if it's just being gone at work. It's so cute.
So, now it's Monday again and tomorrow is the first day of November. Hard to believe I've already been here 2 and a half months. I've already seen so much and I can't wait to see everything else the country has to offer. Hope everyone at home is well. Miss you and love you. ♥
Monday, October 10, 2011
Music Lyrics and Mondays
Happy Monday.
or something like that.
So for the last two weeks when I come in on Monday morning to the high school, there is a note or two on my desk on these square white pieces of paper. But the notes are actually lyrics to love songs. They are written in English and it's a man's handwriting. Today's reads "Even though it seems I have everything, I don't wanna be a lonely fool. All of the women, all the expensive cars, all of the money don't amount to you." And the back says "I want something else to get me through this semi-charmed kind of lie." I unfortunately did not keep last weeks, which was lines from 3 different songs, as I assumed it was something random accidentally left on my desk, but I am going to start keeping them from now on. I have no idea who is leaving them but they are not there Friday afternoon, I know because I bring my notebook back from the middle school and leave it on my desk on Friday afternoons, but they are here when I come in Monday morning. It's a mystery... :]
As for this weekend, Seoul was amazing. Friday afternoon I ran home after school for a quick shower and to pack, met up with Mark and Parag (Mark is the guy that lives in Yeongdeok too, and Parag is an English guy from Yeonghae, a town about 10 minutes north) at the bus terminal and was Seoul bound by 6:30. We got in about 11:15 or so, made our way to the subway for a 32 minute ride to Honguk University (I know because they made a bet it would take over/under 30 minutes) and then separated to find our hostels. Mark and I got to ours and the owner tried to tell us that we had booked 1 person for 2 nights instead of 2 for 1, which we argued out, then after insisting he had no room he took us to the sister hostel (we booked at Hey Backpackers and stayed at Hey Backpackers 2), 2 minutes away. We finally got everything sorted, then Mark and I dropped our bags and headed out into the Seoul night. We planned to only stay out for a bit so as not to wear ourselves out for the night to follow, Global Gathering was scheduled to run til 4am, but of course, time got away from us and we crashed back into the hostel at 6:15am. I was in bed asleep by 6:30. Unfortunately, the room I stayed in was right next to a construction site and since it was morning, they were working. Loudly. Pulling steel cable. Continuously. Did I mention loudly? Needless to say I did not rest. So I got up about 8:30 or so, waited for the shower, showered, then crashed on the couch in the main room. I slept there, much better than in the room, until about 10:30 when the owner woke me up asking why I wasn't sleeping in the bedroom. I explained about the noise, he said close the window, duh, it was closed. So then he tells me to go sleep in the other room on the other side of the hostel, where lucky Mark got to sleep in quiet all morning. So I did. And slept, roughly, because by this time people were up and moving around, making no effort to be quiet in the room, until about 12. Then Mark and I gathered our things and headed out to meet up with the group. Except then I found out that instead of neither of us having somewhere to stay Saturday night, Mark's friend had offered to let him stay in the hostel with them, but there was only room for one. So we went around to the hostels in the area trying to find me somewhere to stay, to no avail, and I decided to figure it out when it came time to sleep. My plan basically evolved to, stay out and party til 6, take the subway to the bus terminal, grab a bus, and sleep on the 5 hour ride home. Sounded good, and free, to me.
So we rejoined the group, and started to the festival. This led to a subway ride, and an hour of lost walking, 2 blisters, and an irritated me with 4 men completely unwilling to ask for directions, admit they were lost, or listen to me, who knew where we were supposed to be going, but didn't want to leave the group. We finally made it to the festival, which was as far away from the subway as possible, about 3ish. Luckily, it was a beautiful day, so even with the walk, spirits were high and everyone was just glad to have finally found it. We sat outside for a bit and drank what people had brought with them as we were not allowed to bring it in with us. And started meeting awesome people from the start. About quarter til 5 we gathered our things and our group and headed in to see Example at 5. Checked our bags and claimed a place. Then thoroughly enjoyed the first performance of the night (that we saw.) The rest of the night was spent dancing, drinking, and laughing my cares away. The night ended with a bit of a frustrating walk out, repeatedly having to collect the men, irritating taxis unwilling to take us because the fair wasn't enough, and finally, a wonderfully soft bed, blanket and pillow. Oh yeah, because since we didn't stay out til 6, but rather left Global Gathering about 2:30 - between sore feet and tired everything elses, and a lack of performances worth staying for combined with remaining crowds being excessively drunk and all around not as much fun, there was a general consensus of departing - and some of the girls finding I had no where to stay (this is the same group Mark was staying with that only had room for one) insisted they would double up and I was to stay with them at their hostel. I'm telling you, the people I'm meeting here are some of the best ever. Thanks to Tash, Marie, Candace, Mark, Jason, and Andy (wife) for making Seoul amazing. It's not about the city, it's about the people. And I wish you all lived closer but I can't wait to see you in 2 weeks in Busan! :D
So Sunday morning, I was up and out of the hostel and navigating the streets of Seoul by 8. I found the subway by 8:30, successfully navigated (read CONQUERED) the Seoul subway system, then found and made my way to the bus terminal, grabbed a bit of food and jumped on the bus homeward bound. Not gonna lie, at this point I felt like a boss. Having come over here as public transportation illiterate as I was - I'd never taken a bus, taxi, subway, never used a payphone, or been lost on foot in a city (most certainly not without a cell phone), and just generally had no idea where I was or where I was trying to go (as far as names of stations), throw in the significant language barrier, and I feel like I king when I accomplish any of these things on my own. For most people they are small and insignificant but for me, from Scottsmoor, I've come a long way. Though it is always nice to come home to my small town with a taxi station but none cruising the streets, only one bus terminal, no subway, no trains, and a good ole small town feel. I miss dirt roads and rivers, horses and the country, but I could not be happier with where God has placed me in this country. They don't have country like we do at home, but I'm as close as I could get without it becoming a major inconvenience. So thanks God, I don't know why I doubt you or your aims for me. ♥
The bus ride only took about 4 hours instead of 5 because the roads are clearer Sunday morning than they are Friday night and I was happy to see that my delivery of cat litter, scheduled for Saturday, was waiting for me at the door. Switch was happy to see me and very cuddly to show she missed me. I love coming home to her. :] Unfortunately, I've been doing a bit of research about bringing her home and I'm scared I won't be able to. I found an agency that will do door to door or port to port service but the door to door is 4000-4500 USD. Which is not going to happen. I'm looking into the port to port and I'll see how much that is. Also, when it gets closer, like next year, I will call American Airlines and see if I can just do it without an agency and how much it is that way. Some airlines will let you take the cat as carryon so I could just take her in the cabin with me, which would be ideal. And then during layovers I would just take her to the bathroom, etc. I just can't imagine leaving her behind. I love her and the thought of never seeing her again, just leaving her with someone else just kills me. I can't justify 4000USD but a hundred or two I may be willing to do. And if I'm willing to pay that now, and I've had her for two weeks, in a year I'm really not going to want to give her up. But I don't regret getting her, ever. Most especially now that we've got the training issues worked out. I don't know what the girl I got her from did to her but she is such an affectionate cat, definitely definitely a cuddler, and lets me hold her now. The girl I got her from said she wouldn't let her hold her, and that she wasn't much of a contact cat, not really a cuddler. Maybe I should tell her she was doing it wrong. :] If anything I would say the only cuddling problem I have with Switch is that sometimes she's too close and wants to be too close, read, on my face. Apparently cats think it's a good place to be since Dani did the same thing. Geez I miss my blobcat. Yeap, definitely can't imagine never seeing her again either. Cats just steal my heart, no bones about it.
Anyway, that's my update for today and this weekend. I need to actually do some planning. And figure out what I'm going to do in my English teachers class in 2 hours. Boo. I hate it. I've only had one actual class with them, then the makeshift pizza post-birthday party, then we had Monday off, a school fieldtrip, another Monday off, and then today. Blegh. Why can't they just teach themselves....
Back to work I suppose.
Miss and love you dearly.
♥
or something like that.
So for the last two weeks when I come in on Monday morning to the high school, there is a note or two on my desk on these square white pieces of paper. But the notes are actually lyrics to love songs. They are written in English and it's a man's handwriting. Today's reads "Even though it seems I have everything, I don't wanna be a lonely fool. All of the women, all the expensive cars, all of the money don't amount to you." And the back says "I want something else to get me through this semi-charmed kind of lie." I unfortunately did not keep last weeks, which was lines from 3 different songs, as I assumed it was something random accidentally left on my desk, but I am going to start keeping them from now on. I have no idea who is leaving them but they are not there Friday afternoon, I know because I bring my notebook back from the middle school and leave it on my desk on Friday afternoons, but they are here when I come in Monday morning. It's a mystery... :]
As for this weekend, Seoul was amazing. Friday afternoon I ran home after school for a quick shower and to pack, met up with Mark and Parag (Mark is the guy that lives in Yeongdeok too, and Parag is an English guy from Yeonghae, a town about 10 minutes north) at the bus terminal and was Seoul bound by 6:30. We got in about 11:15 or so, made our way to the subway for a 32 minute ride to Honguk University (I know because they made a bet it would take over/under 30 minutes) and then separated to find our hostels. Mark and I got to ours and the owner tried to tell us that we had booked 1 person for 2 nights instead of 2 for 1, which we argued out, then after insisting he had no room he took us to the sister hostel (we booked at Hey Backpackers and stayed at Hey Backpackers 2), 2 minutes away. We finally got everything sorted, then Mark and I dropped our bags and headed out into the Seoul night. We planned to only stay out for a bit so as not to wear ourselves out for the night to follow, Global Gathering was scheduled to run til 4am, but of course, time got away from us and we crashed back into the hostel at 6:15am. I was in bed asleep by 6:30. Unfortunately, the room I stayed in was right next to a construction site and since it was morning, they were working. Loudly. Pulling steel cable. Continuously. Did I mention loudly? Needless to say I did not rest. So I got up about 8:30 or so, waited for the shower, showered, then crashed on the couch in the main room. I slept there, much better than in the room, until about 10:30 when the owner woke me up asking why I wasn't sleeping in the bedroom. I explained about the noise, he said close the window, duh, it was closed. So then he tells me to go sleep in the other room on the other side of the hostel, where lucky Mark got to sleep in quiet all morning. So I did. And slept, roughly, because by this time people were up and moving around, making no effort to be quiet in the room, until about 12. Then Mark and I gathered our things and headed out to meet up with the group. Except then I found out that instead of neither of us having somewhere to stay Saturday night, Mark's friend had offered to let him stay in the hostel with them, but there was only room for one. So we went around to the hostels in the area trying to find me somewhere to stay, to no avail, and I decided to figure it out when it came time to sleep. My plan basically evolved to, stay out and party til 6, take the subway to the bus terminal, grab a bus, and sleep on the 5 hour ride home. Sounded good, and free, to me.
So we rejoined the group, and started to the festival. This led to a subway ride, and an hour of lost walking, 2 blisters, and an irritated me with 4 men completely unwilling to ask for directions, admit they were lost, or listen to me, who knew where we were supposed to be going, but didn't want to leave the group. We finally made it to the festival, which was as far away from the subway as possible, about 3ish. Luckily, it was a beautiful day, so even with the walk, spirits were high and everyone was just glad to have finally found it. We sat outside for a bit and drank what people had brought with them as we were not allowed to bring it in with us. And started meeting awesome people from the start. About quarter til 5 we gathered our things and our group and headed in to see Example at 5. Checked our bags and claimed a place. Then thoroughly enjoyed the first performance of the night (that we saw.) The rest of the night was spent dancing, drinking, and laughing my cares away. The night ended with a bit of a frustrating walk out, repeatedly having to collect the men, irritating taxis unwilling to take us because the fair wasn't enough, and finally, a wonderfully soft bed, blanket and pillow. Oh yeah, because since we didn't stay out til 6, but rather left Global Gathering about 2:30 - between sore feet and tired everything elses, and a lack of performances worth staying for combined with remaining crowds being excessively drunk and all around not as much fun, there was a general consensus of departing - and some of the girls finding I had no where to stay (this is the same group Mark was staying with that only had room for one) insisted they would double up and I was to stay with them at their hostel. I'm telling you, the people I'm meeting here are some of the best ever. Thanks to Tash, Marie, Candace, Mark, Jason, and Andy (wife) for making Seoul amazing. It's not about the city, it's about the people. And I wish you all lived closer but I can't wait to see you in 2 weeks in Busan! :D
So Sunday morning, I was up and out of the hostel and navigating the streets of Seoul by 8. I found the subway by 8:30, successfully navigated (read CONQUERED) the Seoul subway system, then found and made my way to the bus terminal, grabbed a bit of food and jumped on the bus homeward bound. Not gonna lie, at this point I felt like a boss. Having come over here as public transportation illiterate as I was - I'd never taken a bus, taxi, subway, never used a payphone, or been lost on foot in a city (most certainly not without a cell phone), and just generally had no idea where I was or where I was trying to go (as far as names of stations), throw in the significant language barrier, and I feel like I king when I accomplish any of these things on my own. For most people they are small and insignificant but for me, from Scottsmoor, I've come a long way. Though it is always nice to come home to my small town with a taxi station but none cruising the streets, only one bus terminal, no subway, no trains, and a good ole small town feel. I miss dirt roads and rivers, horses and the country, but I could not be happier with where God has placed me in this country. They don't have country like we do at home, but I'm as close as I could get without it becoming a major inconvenience. So thanks God, I don't know why I doubt you or your aims for me. ♥
The bus ride only took about 4 hours instead of 5 because the roads are clearer Sunday morning than they are Friday night and I was happy to see that my delivery of cat litter, scheduled for Saturday, was waiting for me at the door. Switch was happy to see me and very cuddly to show she missed me. I love coming home to her. :] Unfortunately, I've been doing a bit of research about bringing her home and I'm scared I won't be able to. I found an agency that will do door to door or port to port service but the door to door is 4000-4500 USD. Which is not going to happen. I'm looking into the port to port and I'll see how much that is. Also, when it gets closer, like next year, I will call American Airlines and see if I can just do it without an agency and how much it is that way. Some airlines will let you take the cat as carryon so I could just take her in the cabin with me, which would be ideal. And then during layovers I would just take her to the bathroom, etc. I just can't imagine leaving her behind. I love her and the thought of never seeing her again, just leaving her with someone else just kills me. I can't justify 4000USD but a hundred or two I may be willing to do. And if I'm willing to pay that now, and I've had her for two weeks, in a year I'm really not going to want to give her up. But I don't regret getting her, ever. Most especially now that we've got the training issues worked out. I don't know what the girl I got her from did to her but she is such an affectionate cat, definitely definitely a cuddler, and lets me hold her now. The girl I got her from said she wouldn't let her hold her, and that she wasn't much of a contact cat, not really a cuddler. Maybe I should tell her she was doing it wrong. :] If anything I would say the only cuddling problem I have with Switch is that sometimes she's too close and wants to be too close, read, on my face. Apparently cats think it's a good place to be since Dani did the same thing. Geez I miss my blobcat. Yeap, definitely can't imagine never seeing her again either. Cats just steal my heart, no bones about it.
Anyway, that's my update for today and this weekend. I need to actually do some planning. And figure out what I'm going to do in my English teachers class in 2 hours. Boo. I hate it. I've only had one actual class with them, then the makeshift pizza post-birthday party, then we had Monday off, a school fieldtrip, another Monday off, and then today. Blegh. Why can't they just teach themselves....
Back to work I suppose.
Miss and love you dearly.
♥
Friday, October 7, 2011
Tide pens and tampons.
That was my weekend. Well, that and new kicks, friends, and nicknames.
Thursday and Friday were rough. My students were off the walls both days. Except for conversation classes, which are going wonderfully. Both days I had a class that ended up writing a paragraph about being quiet and respectful in English class, but Friday was the worst. The morning was fine. Nothing great but nothing terrible. Then my second to last class in the afternoon was miserable. Mr. Pa ended up spending 25 minutes yelling at the girls and sent 2 girls out. Then, he had to leave to go to a meeting and not 30 seconds after he walks out of the room the girls were back at it. So they spent the remaining 15 minutes or so copying down a paragraph about respect and being quiet in English class. Then my last class was absolutely amazing. It was the best class I've had since I've been here. So at least it ended well.
Saturday morning I met Susan, a Korean Canadian girl who lives in Yeongdeok. She's with the TALK program, which is like EPIK but a little different. Anywho, we met at the bus terminal and headed to Andong for the Mask Festival. Which was great. I bought a few souvenirs, got henna on my palm, got to dance in the performance with the group that we hung out with for the day, got free dinner, got nicknamed Bruce, and had an overall awesome time. All the people that we hung out with are Susan's friends from TALK and they are a really great group of people. Saturday night we, Susan, Kylie (our traveling companion for the weekend and Susan's roommate from orientation) and myself, stayed with her friend Zach. Sunday morning we explored Andong a bit and got some Jimdeok for breakfast/lunch. Jimdeok is famous in Andong and it was delicious. It is chicken and noodles in a sauce, very good. There is a picture of it on facebook. Then we went back and met up with Zach and another guy named Josh and headed to Daegu. The plan was to stop in Daegu for some American brunch at a place called Lazy Diner, a classic American Diner, and then continue on to Jinju for the lantern festival on Sunday night. However, while in Daegu, we were informed that the lantern festival wasn't worth the bus ride so we decided to just hang out in Daegu for the night.
Daegu is great. It is a city of 3-4 million people so there is lots to do. First, Kylie really wanted to go on this ride that she and Susan had done in Seoul and was in Daegu. So we found it. It was similar to the G-Force rides at fairs but different. Picture a big round saucer with inadequately padded benches about a foot wide, and a couple of bars above the backs of the benches to hold on to. So you spread your arms out to the sides and sort of have to lace arms with the people next to you to hold on. Then they spin you around super fast with one side up so you are spinning at an angle- this is the fun part. The less fun part is when they stop the spinning and start slamming the ride up and down. It is very fast and very hard. The only thing holding you to the ride is your arms which are outstretched and holding on to the railing behind you for dear life while you are being slammed up and down which makes you bounce all over the place. Except bounce is too gentle of a word. So, like bouncing but extremely violently. It's rather unpleasant. So this goes on for about 10 or 15 minutes. It would have been okay if it had been 2 minutes or even 5 minutes. But by 10 minutes, you are exhausted, you are sore, and you still have 5 minutes to go. Now, I should not have even gotten on this ride with my back and all, but in my defense, when we watched the people go before us, there was as much spinning, if not more, than there was slamming. Unfortunately, the guy running the ride apparently has a reputation for liking to really slam foreigners. :/ So with about 2 minutes to go, he gives a big slam, I slip off the bench, land repeatedly on my lower back and tailbone on the edge of the seat, like I have been doing the whole ride, and this time, still holding on to the bar behind me just barely, he slams, and I slam my left elbow into the edge of the seat about an inch above the joint. This bends my arm backwards, my elbow pops, I freak out a little, drop to the floor, attempt to scramble back up into my seat with one arm and without flashing everyone from behind, (jean slippage :/) and can no longer hold back the tears. I can't even see straight from the pain but figure I just have to get back up on the seat and stick out the last 2 minutes. But, Josh, who was sitting next to me, sees me crying, tells them to stop the ride, and Susan gets me off. At this point I don't know if I've rebroken my elbow or what, I just know it hurts and I can't move it. Hurray Korean ride with no safety anything. :/ So, Susan gets me off the ride, takes me into the bathroom to see if everything is okay. I pull myself together, determine it is not broken, I just can't move it, take off my watch because my wrist has swollen and it is uncomfortably tight, and go back out into the main room to wait for the others. They finish the ride and everyone gets off, we gather our things and we're out the door. Susan tells me that she has never seen anyone handle pain so well, which I take as a sort of compliment and fact of life, and the day goes on.
We went to the Lazy Diner after the ride as to avoid upset stomachs. So we get there, it is very cute, with English menus and the works. They had hamburgers for lunch and a breakfast menu with pancakes, french toast, bacon, and eggs. I , of course, went for the breakfast and ordered a french toast with scrambled egg, bacon, and sausage (and salad came with it) with orange juice. It was almost as good as home with the exception of hotdogs which apparently counted as the sausage. :/ But overall, it was delicious and wonderful. My stomach did not agree with that about an hour later but that's what I get for eating that much greasy food. After eating we walked around the streets of Daegu for a bit and found a hat and scarf store where everyone bought something, and then Susan's friend Matt met up with us. We got coffee, hung out, checked out an English book store where I found an awesome book called Soul Cravings, Zach found an English and Korean New Testament bible that he gave to me, and had a lot of laughs. Then Josh and Matt went to get food, and the rest of us, Susan, Kiley, me and Zach, did a bit of wandering around. I got my very first pair of real converse :D (light grey) and Kiley and I got our first Korean haircuts, which were a-mazing (wait til you see pictures.) Then we hit up a few bars and called it a night. Susan, Kiley, Zach and I made our way to a jimjilbang and crashed for the night.
A jimjilbang is a Korean bath house. You walk in and pay, ours was 7,000\, they give you locker keys, one for your shoes, and one for the rest of your things, and a pair of shorts and a shirt. Then you separate into gender specific locker rooms where everyone gets naked and you use a community shower room. There is also sometimes a hot tub, sauna, etc. Ours had those and showers. It was nice to sit in the hot water for a bit after a long day. Then you dry off and put on the clothes they gave you and go to the sleeping room. Most jimjilbangs have community sleeping rooms. So, one for everybody. Some have other options such as jade rooms, where the floor is jade, coal rooms, etc and at different temperatures. Where we stayed there was just the big sleeping room and a hot room which was about 32 C or about 90 F. Oh, and they give you mats to sleep on, cover up with, etc. This was the part I disliked the most. It was my second night sleeping on the floor and after walking around all weekend and going on that ride, it was a rough night and a rougher morning. But, it was cheap and somewhere to sleep. I will probably be staying in one again this weekend when I go to Seoul for Global Gathering. But more about that later.
So we spent Sunday night in the jimjilbang. Monday we had no school as it was a national holiday so we took advantage of being in Daegu and went to Costco. I got 5 lbs, 120 slices, of american cheese, which you can not get anywhere but Costco in Korea. Other people got other foods that you can't find and it was a good day. We grabbed lunch and we split up to our respective bus terminals to find our ways home. I took the subway to DongDaegu station - one of the main ones in Korea, and then a taxi to the little shack that my bus leaves from and was glad to be on my way home. It was the best weekend I have had so far and the first time I was glad that I wasn't going home the next day. I was excited to see what else Korea has to offer and glad for the time I have to enjoy seeing it all. But, it was nice to go home to my apartment and my cat at the end. Speaking of, Switch did very well for being alone for 2 days. She didn't pee on anything, granted I locked her out of my bedroom, but still. And she was skittish and mad at me when I got home but after she realized I wasn't leaving again, she was the sweetest she's ever been, and has stayed cuddly since. She's even almost turning into a lap cat. :]
This week has been good. Standard with not much excitement. I am definitely settling into the swing of things and getting a routine. Middle school is still presenting daily, and hourly, challenges, but we're making progress so it's worth it. And high school has been going on without any hitches which is nice. I am halfway through Friday and can't wait for it to be over. Or for this weekend to start.
After school, I am taking the 6:30 bus, with Mark, to Seoul. Then tonight we will stay in a hostel. And tomorrow is Global Gathering, an electronic dance music festival, which is the reason we are going to Seoul. Then Saturday night we will most likely find a jimjilbang close to the area and crash there for the night/morning and then grab the 2:30 bus home. I am excited. It means Switch will be home alone again this weekend but next weekend I am going to just relax and sightsee closer to home. 2 weekends in a row being away from home is enough for me. Especially since the weekend after next, the 22, there is a big fireworks festival in Busan that I hope to go to. I definitely need a breather in between. The sightseeing and traveling is fun but I need a break in there every once and a while. Plus I found out today that since Thursday and Friday of next week are midterms for the middle school, instead of getting out early, like I thought I was going to, (Mrs. Seong/Oeja told me I would get out after lunch), which would be awesome enough, Mrs. Keong told me today that I don't have to come at all. :D Yay 4 day weekend. Unfortunately, Mrs. Seong also said something about her, Mr. Pa, and Mrs. Keong coming over on Thursday after school for my "housewarming party" and Mr. Pa cooking food. Blah. He hasn't said anything about it though and neither has Mrs. Keong so maybe it won't happen. I'm not looking forward to it. Plus, if they do come over, I either have to take Switch somewhere else, possibly to Mark's, though I haven't asked him, or just tell them I'm watching her for a friend. :/ But with no seating in my apartment, I just really don't want them to come over. Well, that and because I'd rather not spend my free time with Mr. Pa and Mrs. Keong. Oeja I don't mind but the other two... :/ Anywho, I hope it doesn't happen. And then Friday Oeja is going to take me to Pohang so I can finally register my account to send money home and I can get that taken care of. Which is something I need to do but, I still hate errands. :/
Anyway, sorry this is such a novel of a post and that I haven't been posting more regularly. I also have a load of pictures to sort and put up. I will try to do that on Sunday if we don't get in too late. But I am thinking of you all daily. Miss you and love you.
♥
Thursday and Friday were rough. My students were off the walls both days. Except for conversation classes, which are going wonderfully. Both days I had a class that ended up writing a paragraph about being quiet and respectful in English class, but Friday was the worst. The morning was fine. Nothing great but nothing terrible. Then my second to last class in the afternoon was miserable. Mr. Pa ended up spending 25 minutes yelling at the girls and sent 2 girls out. Then, he had to leave to go to a meeting and not 30 seconds after he walks out of the room the girls were back at it. So they spent the remaining 15 minutes or so copying down a paragraph about respect and being quiet in English class. Then my last class was absolutely amazing. It was the best class I've had since I've been here. So at least it ended well.
Saturday morning I met Susan, a Korean Canadian girl who lives in Yeongdeok. She's with the TALK program, which is like EPIK but a little different. Anywho, we met at the bus terminal and headed to Andong for the Mask Festival. Which was great. I bought a few souvenirs, got henna on my palm, got to dance in the performance with the group that we hung out with for the day, got free dinner, got nicknamed Bruce, and had an overall awesome time. All the people that we hung out with are Susan's friends from TALK and they are a really great group of people. Saturday night we, Susan, Kylie (our traveling companion for the weekend and Susan's roommate from orientation) and myself, stayed with her friend Zach. Sunday morning we explored Andong a bit and got some Jimdeok for breakfast/lunch. Jimdeok is famous in Andong and it was delicious. It is chicken and noodles in a sauce, very good. There is a picture of it on facebook. Then we went back and met up with Zach and another guy named Josh and headed to Daegu. The plan was to stop in Daegu for some American brunch at a place called Lazy Diner, a classic American Diner, and then continue on to Jinju for the lantern festival on Sunday night. However, while in Daegu, we were informed that the lantern festival wasn't worth the bus ride so we decided to just hang out in Daegu for the night.
Daegu is great. It is a city of 3-4 million people so there is lots to do. First, Kylie really wanted to go on this ride that she and Susan had done in Seoul and was in Daegu. So we found it. It was similar to the G-Force rides at fairs but different. Picture a big round saucer with inadequately padded benches about a foot wide, and a couple of bars above the backs of the benches to hold on to. So you spread your arms out to the sides and sort of have to lace arms with the people next to you to hold on. Then they spin you around super fast with one side up so you are spinning at an angle- this is the fun part. The less fun part is when they stop the spinning and start slamming the ride up and down. It is very fast and very hard. The only thing holding you to the ride is your arms which are outstretched and holding on to the railing behind you for dear life while you are being slammed up and down which makes you bounce all over the place. Except bounce is too gentle of a word. So, like bouncing but extremely violently. It's rather unpleasant. So this goes on for about 10 or 15 minutes. It would have been okay if it had been 2 minutes or even 5 minutes. But by 10 minutes, you are exhausted, you are sore, and you still have 5 minutes to go. Now, I should not have even gotten on this ride with my back and all, but in my defense, when we watched the people go before us, there was as much spinning, if not more, than there was slamming. Unfortunately, the guy running the ride apparently has a reputation for liking to really slam foreigners. :/ So with about 2 minutes to go, he gives a big slam, I slip off the bench, land repeatedly on my lower back and tailbone on the edge of the seat, like I have been doing the whole ride, and this time, still holding on to the bar behind me just barely, he slams, and I slam my left elbow into the edge of the seat about an inch above the joint. This bends my arm backwards, my elbow pops, I freak out a little, drop to the floor, attempt to scramble back up into my seat with one arm and without flashing everyone from behind, (jean slippage :/) and can no longer hold back the tears. I can't even see straight from the pain but figure I just have to get back up on the seat and stick out the last 2 minutes. But, Josh, who was sitting next to me, sees me crying, tells them to stop the ride, and Susan gets me off. At this point I don't know if I've rebroken my elbow or what, I just know it hurts and I can't move it. Hurray Korean ride with no safety anything. :/ So, Susan gets me off the ride, takes me into the bathroom to see if everything is okay. I pull myself together, determine it is not broken, I just can't move it, take off my watch because my wrist has swollen and it is uncomfortably tight, and go back out into the main room to wait for the others. They finish the ride and everyone gets off, we gather our things and we're out the door. Susan tells me that she has never seen anyone handle pain so well, which I take as a sort of compliment and fact of life, and the day goes on.
We went to the Lazy Diner after the ride as to avoid upset stomachs. So we get there, it is very cute, with English menus and the works. They had hamburgers for lunch and a breakfast menu with pancakes, french toast, bacon, and eggs. I , of course, went for the breakfast and ordered a french toast with scrambled egg, bacon, and sausage (and salad came with it) with orange juice. It was almost as good as home with the exception of hotdogs which apparently counted as the sausage. :/ But overall, it was delicious and wonderful. My stomach did not agree with that about an hour later but that's what I get for eating that much greasy food. After eating we walked around the streets of Daegu for a bit and found a hat and scarf store where everyone bought something, and then Susan's friend Matt met up with us. We got coffee, hung out, checked out an English book store where I found an awesome book called Soul Cravings, Zach found an English and Korean New Testament bible that he gave to me, and had a lot of laughs. Then Josh and Matt went to get food, and the rest of us, Susan, Kiley, me and Zach, did a bit of wandering around. I got my very first pair of real converse :D (light grey) and Kiley and I got our first Korean haircuts, which were a-mazing (wait til you see pictures.) Then we hit up a few bars and called it a night. Susan, Kiley, Zach and I made our way to a jimjilbang and crashed for the night.
A jimjilbang is a Korean bath house. You walk in and pay, ours was 7,000\, they give you locker keys, one for your shoes, and one for the rest of your things, and a pair of shorts and a shirt. Then you separate into gender specific locker rooms where everyone gets naked and you use a community shower room. There is also sometimes a hot tub, sauna, etc. Ours had those and showers. It was nice to sit in the hot water for a bit after a long day. Then you dry off and put on the clothes they gave you and go to the sleeping room. Most jimjilbangs have community sleeping rooms. So, one for everybody. Some have other options such as jade rooms, where the floor is jade, coal rooms, etc and at different temperatures. Where we stayed there was just the big sleeping room and a hot room which was about 32 C or about 90 F. Oh, and they give you mats to sleep on, cover up with, etc. This was the part I disliked the most. It was my second night sleeping on the floor and after walking around all weekend and going on that ride, it was a rough night and a rougher morning. But, it was cheap and somewhere to sleep. I will probably be staying in one again this weekend when I go to Seoul for Global Gathering. But more about that later.
So we spent Sunday night in the jimjilbang. Monday we had no school as it was a national holiday so we took advantage of being in Daegu and went to Costco. I got 5 lbs, 120 slices, of american cheese, which you can not get anywhere but Costco in Korea. Other people got other foods that you can't find and it was a good day. We grabbed lunch and we split up to our respective bus terminals to find our ways home. I took the subway to DongDaegu station - one of the main ones in Korea, and then a taxi to the little shack that my bus leaves from and was glad to be on my way home. It was the best weekend I have had so far and the first time I was glad that I wasn't going home the next day. I was excited to see what else Korea has to offer and glad for the time I have to enjoy seeing it all. But, it was nice to go home to my apartment and my cat at the end. Speaking of, Switch did very well for being alone for 2 days. She didn't pee on anything, granted I locked her out of my bedroom, but still. And she was skittish and mad at me when I got home but after she realized I wasn't leaving again, she was the sweetest she's ever been, and has stayed cuddly since. She's even almost turning into a lap cat. :]
This week has been good. Standard with not much excitement. I am definitely settling into the swing of things and getting a routine. Middle school is still presenting daily, and hourly, challenges, but we're making progress so it's worth it. And high school has been going on without any hitches which is nice. I am halfway through Friday and can't wait for it to be over. Or for this weekend to start.
After school, I am taking the 6:30 bus, with Mark, to Seoul. Then tonight we will stay in a hostel. And tomorrow is Global Gathering, an electronic dance music festival, which is the reason we are going to Seoul. Then Saturday night we will most likely find a jimjilbang close to the area and crash there for the night/morning and then grab the 2:30 bus home. I am excited. It means Switch will be home alone again this weekend but next weekend I am going to just relax and sightsee closer to home. 2 weekends in a row being away from home is enough for me. Especially since the weekend after next, the 22, there is a big fireworks festival in Busan that I hope to go to. I definitely need a breather in between. The sightseeing and traveling is fun but I need a break in there every once and a while. Plus I found out today that since Thursday and Friday of next week are midterms for the middle school, instead of getting out early, like I thought I was going to, (Mrs. Seong/Oeja told me I would get out after lunch), which would be awesome enough, Mrs. Keong told me today that I don't have to come at all. :D Yay 4 day weekend. Unfortunately, Mrs. Seong also said something about her, Mr. Pa, and Mrs. Keong coming over on Thursday after school for my "housewarming party" and Mr. Pa cooking food. Blah. He hasn't said anything about it though and neither has Mrs. Keong so maybe it won't happen. I'm not looking forward to it. Plus, if they do come over, I either have to take Switch somewhere else, possibly to Mark's, though I haven't asked him, or just tell them I'm watching her for a friend. :/ But with no seating in my apartment, I just really don't want them to come over. Well, that and because I'd rather not spend my free time with Mr. Pa and Mrs. Keong. Oeja I don't mind but the other two... :/ Anywho, I hope it doesn't happen. And then Friday Oeja is going to take me to Pohang so I can finally register my account to send money home and I can get that taken care of. Which is something I need to do but, I still hate errands. :/
Anyway, sorry this is such a novel of a post and that I haven't been posting more regularly. I also have a load of pictures to sort and put up. I will try to do that on Sunday if we don't get in too late. But I am thinking of you all daily. Miss you and love you.
♥
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Home Sweet Home
I promised an organized post to catch you up on everything so that is what you shall get. Even if it is a little late. :]
Monday I got the package Lauren sent for my birthday. :] She sent a card, a Happy Birthday sign, and a keychain, just what I needed :]
This is the beautiful card and Happy Birthday sign she sent. The card made me cry, of course, which freaked out my teachers a little bit, but that's okay. I put them up on my desk for the first few days before I brought them home and I had the most attractive work space in the school. :] Now they decorate my wall at home and make me smile every time I see them. The happy birthday sign also has all sorts of wonderful things written on it. :]
This is the awesome keychain she sent. Both sides are holographic and the Florida side has a dolphin jumping, which was cool enough on it's own. Then I flipped it over expecting the other side to be blank and instead it has my name written in the sand. :] The waves go up and down when you move the keychain. She also ties a pretty blue ribbon to it which I have kept on it to make locating it in my mess of a bag a bit easier. :] I had been looking for a keychain since I got here since I just had the one key and the little tag it was attached to, which was exceedingly difficult to find in the bottom of my bag and resulted in me having to all but empty my bag every time I needed to find my key. It was very frustrating. So now I can either tie the ribbon to the handle of my bag and not even have to look for it, or if I do have to look for it, it's much easier to find. So, thanks Lauren (and Jeremy).
Now I think of you everyday. (Not like I didn't before but, you know. :])
So Tuesday I wore my glasses and my hair in a bun and all my students told me all day "Teacher smart. Teacher intelligent." haha. These kids crack me up. This culture is just so based on appearance that the smallest changes can totally change the way they see you, for the day at least. Maybe that means I should wear all black with my hair up and my glasses everyday for middle school? Nah, it probably wouldn't make a difference with those kids. But more about that later. I also had a student walk up to me after class on Tuesday and tell me "I like you." It was so sincere and cute. I smiled and told her I liked her too. Then, after lunch, Oeja told me that one of the 1st year (10th grade) girls came up to her and told her she really likes me and my class and she is so happy she can communicate with me. It's things like that that make me want to teach. :]
Unfortunately, not all the girls are like that. Most of my high schoolers are very well behaved and cooperative, even excited to learn English, except for this one group. Or rather, 80% of my second year students. And the middle schoolers aren't terrible, except for, well, first and second year. And the girls in those classes aren't bad or have bad attitudes outside of class so let's see what they have in common - OH, look. Mr. Pa is their English teacher/ my coteacher for those classes. This man is the worst. When's he's not sleeping my the back of my classroom (yes, he actually fell asleep in the back of the classroom while I was teaching) he's being overly harsh on the students about insignificant issues that aren't disrupting the class or causing any sort of problem, and completely passing over the students who are actually misbehaving and distracting from my teaching. Now, I understand the "Squash the small things and the big will follow." but not in this case. It is the second semester and these girls know him. They know what he will punish and what they can get away with, and they get away with murder. I'm just glad he isn't my main coteacher or this whole experience would be drastically different.
Anyhow, my classes that I do have trouble with are starting to fall in line a bit. I had to get tough with a few and raise my voice, which I think scared them a little because they've only seen me be nice and friendly and the fun English teacher but a few of the classes will see differently this week. I have 2 classes that will be writing sentences for at least a portion of the class. :] They're going to be mad. ha ha hahaha. :] I think it will serve as a nice wake up call that English class can be whatever I want it to be and that that decision will be directly related to their behavior in class. - ohh, I could show them that on a graph. :]
But, like I said, overall, school is good. Teaching is so fulfilling and despite having fought it all these years, I really love it.
So, after a good week of teaching, a smooth start to Friday, with a rough end, the weekend was finally upon me. I had plans to meet a friend from orientation in Daegu, which is a big city (3-4 million people) about 2 hours away. So, with no cell phone, and some directions and a huge leap of faith, I bought a bus ticket and began my weekend adventure. The main reason for going to Daegu, or at least the reason that prompted the trip, was meeting with the wonderful girl Jessica who gave me the newest addition to the Chinnery family, Switch.
World, meet Switch. Her name was originally going to be Domino. Like Domino Harvey if you've seen the movie. :] Yes, I like Kiera Knightley that much. However, upon meeting Switch and learning a bit about her, Domino became unacceptable and Switch evolved. And she has been rightly named let me assure you. She is the sweetest cat you will meet one second and the next she wants nothing to do with you. And not like a normal cat. More like if you try to touch her she backs up until she's out of reach with this completely indignant and horrified look on her previously precious face and if you persist, she will not hesitate to remind you that she has claws and they are quite sharp. Yay bipolar cats.
Okay but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. She was the reason I went to Daegu but I still haven't told you what happened when I got there. So, I was supposed to meet this guy David that I met at orientation at the bus terminal because he lives there and I don't know where I'm going and I have no cell phone, etc. So I get to the bus terminal about 7:40 or so, and he's nowhere to be seen. I call him, he says he's sitting right outside of the bus terminal with a
guitar on his back, hard to miss. I check around everywhere, no luck, and call him back (on the payphone.) So basically we ascertain that we are at two different bus terminals, of course. And we know which one he's at, but not which one I'm at. So now I have to figure out how to get there. So after asking 7 or 8 different people, and being told I was already at DongTaegu Busuh Tuhminall (DongDaegu Bus Terminal in Korean), which is where he was and clearly I was not, a Korean military gentleman gave me directions, and told me it wasn't too far, just straight, the left around the corner, then straight a little more. So I set out. Well, I always continue to ask for directions as I'm walking, just to make sure I'm still going the right way and I haven't missed it etc. Just something I've always done, ask my mother about finding the bathroom at a camp ground :]. So I finally see this guy after I've been walking for about 4 or 5 minutes and ask which way DongDaegu bus terminal is. Now this is where things get really interesting. He tells me to turn around and walk back the way I just came from, then turn left when I get to the intersection and it's right there. So I turn around and follow his directions and they lead me back to the terminal I just came from. -___-
So I call David again, explain what I have just done and he suggests taking a taxi and telling them DongDaegu and they would take me right to it. So I did. The first taxi I asked to take me told me "Ani-yo" (no) and pointed to a taxi about 3 cars up. So I go to him, and get in, tell him, and off we go. Well turns out that was a great idea because it was a 7 or 8 minute taxi ride so 15 to 20 minute walk, and I never would have found it on my own. So, I get there, see David and things settle down a bit. The rest of the night contained riding my first subway, a rooftop party with friends from orientation, and finally sleep.
So David and I and some others were supposed to go to an art museum Saturday morning, then have lunch, then I was supposed to pick up the cat, and head home. Instead, we woke up at 11, got lunch at a Korean restaurant down the street, where we had chicken soup - read a whole boiled chicken served in boiling "soup" aka water with seasonings on top of the chicken and the chicken stuffed with rice. The chicken was good. The rice was rice. Overall a decent meal, especially considering what the possible alternatives are over here. Then David showed me around a bit before I hopped in a taxi to meet my new love.
Well, earlier that morning I realized I didn't have Jessica's phone number and we hadn't decided on a specific place as she was sure I would be able to find her. Well, after the previous nights' shenanigans with meeting, I sent her an email when I woke up about 11, hoping she would see it before she left asking for her phone number and more specifics. In addition to a lack of specificity, at one point we were meeting at the bus terminal, then it changed to the train station and as I often unintentionally call the bus terminal the train station, I was a bit worried. So the last few emails said train station, so I decided to go with that. Unfortunately, there are 7 train stations in Daegu and 2 major ones. So I went to the main one (DongDaegu) hoping she would be there and things would work out. Well, her train was supposed to come in at 2:30 and then she was wanting to take the train at 2:57 back to Daejon, where she lives. So I assumed that if I didn't meet her by 2:57, she would get on the train and head back home as she made it sound very important for her to be back home as soon as possible. So, when I hadn't found her by 2:45+ and I knew it would take a minimum of 10 minutes by subway (assuming I could successfully do the subway thing by myself without adding extra time), I decided I would head to my bus station and email her when I got home. So then I set out to find a way home. Well, I was right next to the DongDaegu bus terminal so I figured this would be pretty easy. But as I discovered the night before, DongDaegu is so large that it is split into 3 sections by city. So I searched for a bus to Pohang, the closest city to Yeongdeok (which most people don't know), to no avail, and finally lucked into finding an American girl and her English speaking Korean boyfriend (unfortunately not Jessica - the girl with the cat - although she is also an American girl with an English speaking Korean boyfriend) and was informed that buses to Pohang run out of Dongbu station. At which point I remember that David and I discovered that's where I was the night before because that's where all buses to and from Pohang, and surrounding areas go. So I grab a taxi (yeah, I'm practically pro at this now btw. That and buses :]) and make my happy way to Dongbu bus terminal catless, but glad to be headed home all the same. Big cities are not for me. Too many people and not enough open space. So I get to Dongbu, buy my ticket and sit down to start my 40 minute wait until the bus leaves. I met the two cutest little Korean boys, played some peek-a-boo, and broke the language barrier. :] Then I decided to pull out my Kindle and read a bit, when I remembered I can access the internet on it and wonder if it works in Korea. By this time it is 3:10, working on 3:15. Long story short, (or not so short...) I checked my email seconds after Jessica emailed me giving me her phone number, telling me she's still in town and to call her ASAP. This, is a God thing. So, I run to the payphone, tell her where I am, she tells the taxi driver, and 15 minutes later, I am the proud new owner of one adorable kitten. So, I run to the bus, which is about to leave now, ticket in hand, board, and everyone is on their way home. Also, it's a bit odd to think of my apartment in Yeongdeok as home when I've been here less than a month, but I suppose it's a good thing.
So after a long two hour bus ride and a tense 15 minute walk home, formal introductions were made, Switch was named and started claiming space right away. A few quirks for your enjoyment - she is also a bag cat. Actually she's an anything I can get in or under cat. I don't know if this is common to all cats but at least her and Dani will have something in common besides their gender and color. Also, she follows me everywhere, but complains about it the whole way. Which brings to the fact that I have never heard a cat makes so many different noises. I'm trying to hide her from my landlord and she sounds like an infant learning to talk. At least they'll never guess she's a cat. :] To go with her mouth, she has one of the most expressive cat faces I've ever seen. And, for the first 6 or so hours she would only jump on the bed from one spot, onto one spot on the bed and it was where the pillow I lean against goes so she would stand there and look at me until I moved it, then jump up with a satisfactory face and lay down close to, but not touching me, and I would put the pillow back. I'm sure this was some sort of test to see how easy it was to manipulate me but whatever. It was her first day, I'll let it slide. :] So all is well here, with the exception of our first disagreement, as stated on facebook. She thought it would be a good idea to pee on my bed. I disagreed. We had our second disagreement when I decided she needed to be punished and she disagreed by painting ribbons on my arms and legs. I'm going to be learning how to cut cat toenails tomorrow. I know I wouldn't do Dani's but Switch's are just too sharp and she doesn't know how to control them yet and so I'm just going to have to man up and do it. Anyhow, that's all for now. We went on a school trip today with high 1st and 2nd years but it's after midnight so I'll write about that tomorrow at school after I do my lesson plans. :]
I miss you all and love you dearly.
♥ xoxo
Monday I got the package Lauren sent for my birthday. :] She sent a card, a Happy Birthday sign, and a keychain, just what I needed :]
This is the beautiful card and Happy Birthday sign she sent. The card made me cry, of course, which freaked out my teachers a little bit, but that's okay. I put them up on my desk for the first few days before I brought them home and I had the most attractive work space in the school. :] Now they decorate my wall at home and make me smile every time I see them. The happy birthday sign also has all sorts of wonderful things written on it. :]
Now I think of you everyday. (Not like I didn't before but, you know. :])So Tuesday I wore my glasses and my hair in a bun and all my students told me all day "Teacher smart. Teacher intelligent." haha. These kids crack me up. This culture is just so based on appearance that the smallest changes can totally change the way they see you, for the day at least. Maybe that means I should wear all black with my hair up and my glasses everyday for middle school? Nah, it probably wouldn't make a difference with those kids. But more about that later. I also had a student walk up to me after class on Tuesday and tell me "I like you." It was so sincere and cute. I smiled and told her I liked her too. Then, after lunch, Oeja told me that one of the 1st year (10th grade) girls came up to her and told her she really likes me and my class and she is so happy she can communicate with me. It's things like that that make me want to teach. :]
Unfortunately, not all the girls are like that. Most of my high schoolers are very well behaved and cooperative, even excited to learn English, except for this one group. Or rather, 80% of my second year students. And the middle schoolers aren't terrible, except for, well, first and second year. And the girls in those classes aren't bad or have bad attitudes outside of class so let's see what they have in common - OH, look. Mr. Pa is their English teacher/ my coteacher for those classes. This man is the worst. When's he's not sleeping my the back of my classroom (yes, he actually fell asleep in the back of the classroom while I was teaching) he's being overly harsh on the students about insignificant issues that aren't disrupting the class or causing any sort of problem, and completely passing over the students who are actually misbehaving and distracting from my teaching. Now, I understand the "Squash the small things and the big will follow." but not in this case. It is the second semester and these girls know him. They know what he will punish and what they can get away with, and they get away with murder. I'm just glad he isn't my main coteacher or this whole experience would be drastically different.
Anyhow, my classes that I do have trouble with are starting to fall in line a bit. I had to get tough with a few and raise my voice, which I think scared them a little because they've only seen me be nice and friendly and the fun English teacher but a few of the classes will see differently this week. I have 2 classes that will be writing sentences for at least a portion of the class. :] They're going to be mad. ha ha hahaha. :] I think it will serve as a nice wake up call that English class can be whatever I want it to be and that that decision will be directly related to their behavior in class. - ohh, I could show them that on a graph. :]
But, like I said, overall, school is good. Teaching is so fulfilling and despite having fought it all these years, I really love it.
So, after a good week of teaching, a smooth start to Friday, with a rough end, the weekend was finally upon me. I had plans to meet a friend from orientation in Daegu, which is a big city (3-4 million people) about 2 hours away. So, with no cell phone, and some directions and a huge leap of faith, I bought a bus ticket and began my weekend adventure. The main reason for going to Daegu, or at least the reason that prompted the trip, was meeting with the wonderful girl Jessica who gave me the newest addition to the Chinnery family, Switch.
Okay but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. She was the reason I went to Daegu but I still haven't told you what happened when I got there. So, I was supposed to meet this guy David that I met at orientation at the bus terminal because he lives there and I don't know where I'm going and I have no cell phone, etc. So I get to the bus terminal about 7:40 or so, and he's nowhere to be seen. I call him, he says he's sitting right outside of the bus terminal with a
So I call David again, explain what I have just done and he suggests taking a taxi and telling them DongDaegu and they would take me right to it. So I did. The first taxi I asked to take me told me "Ani-yo" (no) and pointed to a taxi about 3 cars up. So I go to him, and get in, tell him, and off we go. Well turns out that was a great idea because it was a 7 or 8 minute taxi ride so 15 to 20 minute walk, and I never would have found it on my own. So, I get there, see David and things settle down a bit. The rest of the night contained riding my first subway, a rooftop party with friends from orientation, and finally sleep.
So David and I and some others were supposed to go to an art museum Saturday morning, then have lunch, then I was supposed to pick up the cat, and head home. Instead, we woke up at 11, got lunch at a Korean restaurant down the street, where we had chicken soup - read a whole boiled chicken served in boiling "soup" aka water with seasonings on top of the chicken and the chicken stuffed with rice. The chicken was good. The rice was rice. Overall a decent meal, especially considering what the possible alternatives are over here. Then David showed me around a bit before I hopped in a taxi to meet my new love.
Well, earlier that morning I realized I didn't have Jessica's phone number and we hadn't decided on a specific place as she was sure I would be able to find her. Well, after the previous nights' shenanigans with meeting, I sent her an email when I woke up about 11, hoping she would see it before she left asking for her phone number and more specifics. In addition to a lack of specificity, at one point we were meeting at the bus terminal, then it changed to the train station and as I often unintentionally call the bus terminal the train station, I was a bit worried. So the last few emails said train station, so I decided to go with that. Unfortunately, there are 7 train stations in Daegu and 2 major ones. So I went to the main one (DongDaegu) hoping she would be there and things would work out. Well, her train was supposed to come in at 2:30 and then she was wanting to take the train at 2:57 back to Daejon, where she lives. So I assumed that if I didn't meet her by 2:57, she would get on the train and head back home as she made it sound very important for her to be back home as soon as possible. So, when I hadn't found her by 2:45+ and I knew it would take a minimum of 10 minutes by subway (assuming I could successfully do the subway thing by myself without adding extra time), I decided I would head to my bus station and email her when I got home. So then I set out to find a way home. Well, I was right next to the DongDaegu bus terminal so I figured this would be pretty easy. But as I discovered the night before, DongDaegu is so large that it is split into 3 sections by city. So I searched for a bus to Pohang, the closest city to Yeongdeok (which most people don't know), to no avail, and finally lucked into finding an American girl and her English speaking Korean boyfriend (unfortunately not Jessica - the girl with the cat - although she is also an American girl with an English speaking Korean boyfriend) and was informed that buses to Pohang run out of Dongbu station. At which point I remember that David and I discovered that's where I was the night before because that's where all buses to and from Pohang, and surrounding areas go. So I grab a taxi (yeah, I'm practically pro at this now btw. That and buses :]) and make my happy way to Dongbu bus terminal catless, but glad to be headed home all the same. Big cities are not for me. Too many people and not enough open space. So I get to Dongbu, buy my ticket and sit down to start my 40 minute wait until the bus leaves. I met the two cutest little Korean boys, played some peek-a-boo, and broke the language barrier. :] Then I decided to pull out my Kindle and read a bit, when I remembered I can access the internet on it and wonder if it works in Korea. By this time it is 3:10, working on 3:15. Long story short, (or not so short...) I checked my email seconds after Jessica emailed me giving me her phone number, telling me she's still in town and to call her ASAP. This, is a God thing. So, I run to the payphone, tell her where I am, she tells the taxi driver, and 15 minutes later, I am the proud new owner of one adorable kitten. So, I run to the bus, which is about to leave now, ticket in hand, board, and everyone is on their way home. Also, it's a bit odd to think of my apartment in Yeongdeok as home when I've been here less than a month, but I suppose it's a good thing.
So after a long two hour bus ride and a tense 15 minute walk home, formal introductions were made, Switch was named and started claiming space right away. A few quirks for your enjoyment - she is also a bag cat. Actually she's an anything I can get in or under cat. I don't know if this is common to all cats but at least her and Dani will have something in common besides their gender and color. Also, she follows me everywhere, but complains about it the whole way. Which brings to the fact that I have never heard a cat makes so many different noises. I'm trying to hide her from my landlord and she sounds like an infant learning to talk. At least they'll never guess she's a cat. :] To go with her mouth, she has one of the most expressive cat faces I've ever seen. And, for the first 6 or so hours she would only jump on the bed from one spot, onto one spot on the bed and it was where the pillow I lean against goes so she would stand there and look at me until I moved it, then jump up with a satisfactory face and lay down close to, but not touching me, and I would put the pillow back. I'm sure this was some sort of test to see how easy it was to manipulate me but whatever. It was her first day, I'll let it slide. :] So all is well here, with the exception of our first disagreement, as stated on facebook. She thought it would be a good idea to pee on my bed. I disagreed. We had our second disagreement when I decided she needed to be punished and she disagreed by painting ribbons on my arms and legs. I'm going to be learning how to cut cat toenails tomorrow. I know I wouldn't do Dani's but Switch's are just too sharp and she doesn't know how to control them yet and so I'm just going to have to man up and do it. Anyhow, that's all for now. We went on a school trip today with high 1st and 2nd years but it's after midnight so I'll write about that tomorrow at school after I do my lesson plans. :]
I miss you all and love you dearly.
♥ xoxo
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Memory.
Sometimes I forget where I am. Then I remember.
That's when homesickness hits the hardest...
♥
That's when homesickness hits the hardest...
♥
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
PS.
The last post may have been a little scattered - because that's my brain these days. When I get home tonight I will take the time to sort everything out and make a proper post which will actually make sense. Gah, my brain is scrambled. :/
I blame the homesickness...
I blame the homesickness...
Through the fog
Sorry I haven't posted anything in a while. Last week was filled with classes and planning and then the weekend came. My birthday was decent. Friday night I hung out with a guy that lives in my town, but he's from Scotland. He came over with EPIK in February. It was fun. We hung out at his place and had a few drinks. So the first hour of my birthday was good. Then, I had plans to go out to Pohang and stay over there for the weekend but the girl I was supposed to stay with broke up with her boyfriend Saturday morning so she canceled saying she didn't feel like going out and just wanted to be alone. Understandable I suppose but it sucked because then I had nowhere to stay and as the last bus back to to Yeongdeok runs at 11:30 and she canceled at 4 :/ Yeah. So I just stayed home and watched movies. Sunday I was going to walk around Yeongdeok to explore a little more and get out of my apartment but I didn't wake up until 2:30 so that didn't happen. It was raining all weekend though too so not really a good day for exploring anyhow. So I had another movie day. :]
Yesterday was Monday so it was back to work again. It was the second time I've had my high schoolers and the first real lesson. I taught Vacations which they learned pretty well. We focused on the phrases "On vacation, I would like to go to ________." "I would like to go there because __________." and "On vacation, I would like to ________." At the end of class I assigned them a project to plan a 3 day vacation with a minimum of one activity per day using the sentences we worked on, to be turned in next week. And I told them the 5 best vacations will get a prize. So we'll see how it works out. I only had one student class so that was easy. I had 2 teacher classes though. :/ The first one was a bit rough. I never know how much they understand and if they tell me they understand then I assume they do and I move on. So this group kept telling me they understood so I continued to move on. We covered way too much material. And apparently they didn't understand half the lesson. So yeah... Mr. Lee told me at the end that I covered too much and they didn't understand and that they wanted a written dialogue of whatever I cover that day in class so... the class wasn't exactly a success but at least they told me what they want so the classes in the future can be and not just be me standing up front talking for 50 minutes. :/ Overall, not a bad day. Oh, and at the end I was supposed to have my English teacher class, which got cut to once a week, fine with me :]. Instead, Oeja brought out a pizza and bottle of Coke and we had a "pizza party" haha. Apparently Mr. Pa told her that my favorite food is pizza - that's what my powerpoint said but that was more so that my favorite food would be something the kids knew and I could pretend we had common ground :/ - anyway, I do like pizza but... Korean pizza and American pizza are two very different ideas. Korean pizza has no tomato sauce (or red sauce at all for that matter), no meat, and no salt. Instead it has chunks of potato, something sweet and yellow (which may or may not be sweet peppers - they weren't even the tiniest bit spicy so I'm not sure), cheese, kernels of corn under the cheese, and some sort of white sweet, cream cheesey type of something between the cheese and the crust - where the delicious salty tomato sauce belongs. I guess I know why they call it "white pizza" now....
Anyhow, life is moving forward. Things are well. I'm going to get my kitten this weekend from Daegu so I'm thinking of going Friday night if I can find someplace to crash for the night and then getting the kitten and going home Saturday afternoon. That would be ideal. Welp, off to do a bit of planning and emailing. Love you all and miss you!!
♥
Yesterday was Monday so it was back to work again. It was the second time I've had my high schoolers and the first real lesson. I taught Vacations which they learned pretty well. We focused on the phrases "On vacation, I would like to go to ________." "I would like to go there because __________." and "On vacation, I would like to ________." At the end of class I assigned them a project to plan a 3 day vacation with a minimum of one activity per day using the sentences we worked on, to be turned in next week. And I told them the 5 best vacations will get a prize. So we'll see how it works out. I only had one student class so that was easy. I had 2 teacher classes though. :/ The first one was a bit rough. I never know how much they understand and if they tell me they understand then I assume they do and I move on. So this group kept telling me they understood so I continued to move on. We covered way too much material. And apparently they didn't understand half the lesson. So yeah... Mr. Lee told me at the end that I covered too much and they didn't understand and that they wanted a written dialogue of whatever I cover that day in class so... the class wasn't exactly a success but at least they told me what they want so the classes in the future can be and not just be me standing up front talking for 50 minutes. :/ Overall, not a bad day. Oh, and at the end I was supposed to have my English teacher class, which got cut to once a week, fine with me :]. Instead, Oeja brought out a pizza and bottle of Coke and we had a "pizza party" haha. Apparently Mr. Pa told her that my favorite food is pizza - that's what my powerpoint said but that was more so that my favorite food would be something the kids knew and I could pretend we had common ground :/ - anyway, I do like pizza but... Korean pizza and American pizza are two very different ideas. Korean pizza has no tomato sauce (or red sauce at all for that matter), no meat, and no salt. Instead it has chunks of potato, something sweet and yellow (which may or may not be sweet peppers - they weren't even the tiniest bit spicy so I'm not sure), cheese, kernels of corn under the cheese, and some sort of white sweet, cream cheesey type of something between the cheese and the crust - where the delicious salty tomato sauce belongs. I guess I know why they call it "white pizza" now....
Anyhow, life is moving forward. Things are well. I'm going to get my kitten this weekend from Daegu so I'm thinking of going Friday night if I can find someplace to crash for the night and then getting the kitten and going home Saturday afternoon. That would be ideal. Welp, off to do a bit of planning and emailing. Love you all and miss you!!
♥
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Back to the Grind.
So Chuseok is over and it was back to the real world today.
Chuseok was good. Ended up not getting to go Daegu due to some planning misunderstandings and me not wanting to risk not being back in time for work this morning. But that's alright, there will be plenty of other opportunities. Pohang was great, will definitely be spending lots of weekends down there. :] Hopefully either sometime this week or this weekend I can head back down and get a bike. I looked at ones here in Yeongdeok and the cheapest I could find for what I want is 170,000 ($170) and that's more than I'm willing to pay when I can get one for 100,000-120,000 tops in Pohang. Then just ride it back.
So today was an easy day, just my two best classes of 10th graders this morning and then club this afternoon. I taught class by myself today because Mr. Ha had to go to Daegu for some test but it was fine. Honestly, I prefer being in the classroom by myself. I feel like it forces the kids to respect me more and recognize me only as the teacher instead of a sidekick. There was no class for middle school today which means tomorrow they're going to be even more challenging than normal because it'll be the first day back after a 5 day vacation. :/ Wish me luck...
At least I only have two classes tomorrow. And then I'm supposed to start my extra classes for conversation so that should be interesting.
Not much to say today. I did however make a map to show you all where everything is in my new home. So I'll give you that instead of a picture. :]
xoxo
View My Home! in a larger map
Chuseok was good. Ended up not getting to go Daegu due to some planning misunderstandings and me not wanting to risk not being back in time for work this morning. But that's alright, there will be plenty of other opportunities. Pohang was great, will definitely be spending lots of weekends down there. :] Hopefully either sometime this week or this weekend I can head back down and get a bike. I looked at ones here in Yeongdeok and the cheapest I could find for what I want is 170,000 ($170) and that's more than I'm willing to pay when I can get one for 100,000-120,000 tops in Pohang. Then just ride it back.
So today was an easy day, just my two best classes of 10th graders this morning and then club this afternoon. I taught class by myself today because Mr. Ha had to go to Daegu for some test but it was fine. Honestly, I prefer being in the classroom by myself. I feel like it forces the kids to respect me more and recognize me only as the teacher instead of a sidekick. There was no class for middle school today which means tomorrow they're going to be even more challenging than normal because it'll be the first day back after a 5 day vacation. :/ Wish me luck...
At least I only have two classes tomorrow. And then I'm supposed to start my extra classes for conversation so that should be interesting.
Not much to say today. I did however make a map to show you all where everything is in my new home. So I'll give you that instead of a picture. :]
xoxo
View My Home! in a larger map
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Giving Thanks.
I am loving Chuseok, Korean thanksgiving. I get a 4 day weekend, which had started out phenomenally, and get to do some out of town exploring.
Yesterday I headed out for Pohang about 2:30. Got to the bus station to buy my ticket and Mark comes walking in with his parents. They were going to Pohang too for the footbal (read soccer) game. So got to spend the 50 minute bus ride talking to him :] We split at the bus terminal in Pohang where I met Stephanie and he and his parents walked to the stadium. Stephanie was a little late so I was a little panicked but she came and then we went and grabbed some sandwiches and smoothies for a quick lunch and we were on our way too. At the game we met her friends Adrian and Guido. Adrian is a Polish Canadian and Guido (pronounced Gee-do - though everyone got a good kick out of calling him Gwi-do later in the night) is South African. So the game was great. It rained off and on all day Saturday but rain here is just misting so they still played and the stadium seats are covered so it was fine. Our team won 4-1 which started the night off well. Then we rode a bus downtown and went for dinner at a chicken place. After we took a taxi to Bukbu Beach and walked across the road to a restaurant/club/bar called TILT which was having a DJ competition last night. we got there at 9:10 and avoided the cover charge and then hung out til about 11 when the competition started. (It was posted to start at 9 but apparently they changed their minds :/) So we had a couple of rounds and hung out. The first DJ wasn't any good. The second was awesome, third okay, fourth no good, and we didn't stay for the fifth because he didn't start til 4 :/. So after a ton of dancing, a few drinks, and an all around fantastic night, we headed home. I stayed with Stephanie in Pohang since the last bus runs at 12:30 and the morning doesn't start until 5:30.
Woke up this morning about 10, hung out with Stephanie for a bit. Then we went to Homeplus and she helped me shop a bit. I finally got my toaster and chicken breasts (8 for 15,000 - not bad!) and some mugs, glasses, and other groceries. Then I got back on the bus to Yeongdeok and lugged my stuff home. Now I'm enjoying my lazy Sunday listening to music and playing Tetris. :]
I hope every weekend turns out this good. :]
Yesterday I headed out for Pohang about 2:30. Got to the bus station to buy my ticket and Mark comes walking in with his parents. They were going to Pohang too for the footbal (read soccer) game. So got to spend the 50 minute bus ride talking to him :] We split at the bus terminal in Pohang where I met Stephanie and he and his parents walked to the stadium. Stephanie was a little late so I was a little panicked but she came and then we went and grabbed some sandwiches and smoothies for a quick lunch and we were on our way too. At the game we met her friends Adrian and Guido. Adrian is a Polish Canadian and Guido (pronounced Gee-do - though everyone got a good kick out of calling him Gwi-do later in the night) is South African. So the game was great. It rained off and on all day Saturday but rain here is just misting so they still played and the stadium seats are covered so it was fine. Our team won 4-1 which started the night off well. Then we rode a bus downtown and went for dinner at a chicken place. After we took a taxi to Bukbu Beach and walked across the road to a restaurant/club/bar called TILT which was having a DJ competition last night. we got there at 9:10 and avoided the cover charge and then hung out til about 11 when the competition started. (It was posted to start at 9 but apparently they changed their minds :/) So we had a couple of rounds and hung out. The first DJ wasn't any good. The second was awesome, third okay, fourth no good, and we didn't stay for the fifth because he didn't start til 4 :/. So after a ton of dancing, a few drinks, and an all around fantastic night, we headed home. I stayed with Stephanie in Pohang since the last bus runs at 12:30 and the morning doesn't start until 5:30.
Woke up this morning about 10, hung out with Stephanie for a bit. Then we went to Homeplus and she helped me shop a bit. I finally got my toaster and chicken breasts (8 for 15,000 - not bad!) and some mugs, glasses, and other groceries. Then I got back on the bus to Yeongdeok and lugged my stuff home. Now I'm enjoying my lazy Sunday listening to music and playing Tetris. :]
I hope every weekend turns out this good. :]
 | ||
| The Haul :] The damage - 73,160 Toaster - 19,900 Chicken breast - 14,800 Shampoo and Conditioner (buy one get one free) (not in picture) - 11,200 4 coffee mugs - 5,000 100 packs of instant coffee (portioned like crystal light packs) - 9,900 Salsa - 5,300 Ketchup - 800 (like 80 cents!!) 2 glasses - 3,000 (1,500 each) Korean moonpies - 1,000 |
Friday, September 9, 2011
Hellooooo Weekend! :]
So finished my last two classes, they went surprising well. The biggest problem I had was with my coteacher. He stood up in the front of the class and talked to the students for the first 5 minutes of class in Korean, I have no idea what he said, though I think I caught my name a couple of times, and I know he said Florida at least once (part of my presentation was for the students to guess where I'm from. He knows this because he's seen my presentation 4 times....) and then told me, "Okay, go ahead." Yeah because that's totally going to inspire respect for me. Gah. I'm just so frustrated. And it sucks because the rest of my coteachers are so great. I guess I should just be happy I only have one stupid one. But still. It just makes the classes with him so hard. And he's super strict to the kids so they don't like him... He walks around with what looks like the skinny half of a pool cue, though I know it's not, and threatens the kids with it :o haha I don't speak Korean but I know when he's threatening them. And I think he must actually hit them with it in other classes because he walks over and raises it up and the kids flinch. I'm not against punishing the kids if they deserve it and are misbehaving, but he does it for the small stupid stuff and then doesn't do anything about the big stuff... I don't know. It's weird.
Anyway, I'm excited it's the weekend and even more excited that's its a 4 day weekend. And I have plans :] So Saturday I am going to Pohang about 4 and meeting up with two really awesome girls for a football game, watching not playing :], then dinner, then a night of dancing and awesomeness at a club/bar called TILT. There's a DJ competition so it should be lots of fun. Then I'm staying in Pohang at one of the girl's hosues so I don't have to worry about catching the bus back at 12:30. Then I'm not sure what we'll do Sunday. Maybe I can get her to show me around and I can look around for a bike. Or not cause duh, it'll be Sunday and a holiday weekend to boot. But maybe some of the big COSCOs or something will be open and I can find some conditioner cheaper than 10. Maybe a toaster, and some cat food for the kitty I'm getting the 24th! :] And maybe a small trash can. :] Anyway, it should be fun.
And then Monday I'm just going to relax at home and Tuesday I have plans to go hiking up a mountain and see a temple with about 30 people in Daegu, which I think is about 3 hours south. So that should be fun. I will definitely have to take my camera and take lots of pictures.:]Then back to school on Wednesday! :[ It's a nice break though. And we get October 3 off for some reason so that'll be another 3 day weekend. So maybe I can go see some other things. :]
I'll leave you with a photo from the bundles now on my facebook :]
Anyway, I'm excited it's the weekend and even more excited that's its a 4 day weekend. And I have plans :] So Saturday I am going to Pohang about 4 and meeting up with two really awesome girls for a football game, watching not playing :], then dinner, then a night of dancing and awesomeness at a club/bar called TILT. There's a DJ competition so it should be lots of fun. Then I'm staying in Pohang at one of the girl's hosues so I don't have to worry about catching the bus back at 12:30. Then I'm not sure what we'll do Sunday. Maybe I can get her to show me around and I can look around for a bike. Or not cause duh, it'll be Sunday and a holiday weekend to boot. But maybe some of the big COSCOs or something will be open and I can find some conditioner cheaper than 10. Maybe a toaster, and some cat food for the kitty I'm getting the 24th! :] And maybe a small trash can. :] Anyway, it should be fun.
And then Monday I'm just going to relax at home and Tuesday I have plans to go hiking up a mountain and see a temple with about 30 people in Daegu, which I think is about 3 hours south. So that should be fun. I will definitely have to take my camera and take lots of pictures.:]Then back to school on Wednesday! :[ It's a nice break though. And we get October 3 off for some reason so that'll be another 3 day weekend. So maybe I can go see some other things. :]
I'll leave you with a photo from the bundles now on my facebook :]
Blegh. Middle School.
So I started teaching middle school yesterday... Let's just say Thursdays and Fridays are going to be the longest days of the week. Oh, and there's a reason I didn't want to teach middle school. Actually there's about 200. And I can't pronounce the names of any of them. :/
I think these children make it their goal everyday to drive me crazy.
Okay, so it's not really that horrible. But it's certainly not my favorite days of the week. I am however very glad that it is Friday and that means 4 day weekend. :] YAY Chuseok.
Not much has happened since my last blog. Just sort of settling into the swing of things. I have had all my high school classes, The ones on Wednesday are the best. It's the rest of my 10th graders. They're so great. They're quiet but responsive. :] Unlike my middle schoolers who are loud and unresponsive. Had 3rd grade yesterday (9th). I wanted to die. Thank goodness those are my only two students classes for the day. Wonder if they did that on purpose... Anyway, they were rough. They just don't want to learn. And then yesterday I had two teacher classes after my two student classes, but that was just for this week. Apparently the middle school teacher doesn't want me wasting time teaching the teachers so I'm going to have 2 extra student classes instead. Except I'm not sure when the second one will be because there's no room in the schedule. Anyway, I guess I'll find out next week. But those classes are conversation and the students had to apply. So it will only be students that want to be there and they'll be the highest level and its all conversation. So those should be easy classes.
Not sure what exactly I'm supposed to be teaching in my regular classes, I assume it's the same as high school where I'm not to follow the textbook but Mrs. Seong is the one helping me over here and her English just isn't that great. And Mr. Pa's English is very good, but he is the most unhelpful, unresponsive person. I really dislike teaching classes with him which sucks because I teach the most classes with him. :/ It's just hard because he won't let the students figure out what I'm saying, or let me explain until they get it. Instead, they know he's going to translate so they just wait and don't ask questions or anything. It's frustrating.
Oh man I'm so tired. Nap, class at 2:25, more update tonight.
♥
I think these children make it their goal everyday to drive me crazy.
Okay, so it's not really that horrible. But it's certainly not my favorite days of the week. I am however very glad that it is Friday and that means 4 day weekend. :] YAY Chuseok.
Not much has happened since my last blog. Just sort of settling into the swing of things. I have had all my high school classes, The ones on Wednesday are the best. It's the rest of my 10th graders. They're so great. They're quiet but responsive. :] Unlike my middle schoolers who are loud and unresponsive. Had 3rd grade yesterday (9th). I wanted to die. Thank goodness those are my only two students classes for the day. Wonder if they did that on purpose... Anyway, they were rough. They just don't want to learn. And then yesterday I had two teacher classes after my two student classes, but that was just for this week. Apparently the middle school teacher doesn't want me wasting time teaching the teachers so I'm going to have 2 extra student classes instead. Except I'm not sure when the second one will be because there's no room in the schedule. Anyway, I guess I'll find out next week. But those classes are conversation and the students had to apply. So it will only be students that want to be there and they'll be the highest level and its all conversation. So those should be easy classes.
Not sure what exactly I'm supposed to be teaching in my regular classes, I assume it's the same as high school where I'm not to follow the textbook but Mrs. Seong is the one helping me over here and her English just isn't that great. And Mr. Pa's English is very good, but he is the most unhelpful, unresponsive person. I really dislike teaching classes with him which sucks because I teach the most classes with him. :/ It's just hard because he won't let the students figure out what I'm saying, or let me explain until they get it. Instead, they know he's going to translate so they just wait and don't ask questions or anything. It's frustrating.
Oh man I'm so tired. Nap, class at 2:25, more update tonight.
♥
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Mmmm, tastes of home.
So I got my first care package today. Read - camera, ballet flats, and blueberry tea. So I am now sitting here listening to "Take A Back Road" drinking some blueberry tea with orange blossom honey in my customized mug stating "Creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity" with my doors and windows open enjoying the autumn weather. :D Oh, and this great addition from Korea - (besides the weather :]) they put ceramic lids on their coffee mugs to keep the drinks hot!! I'm telling you, these people have thought of everything!
I had a great second day. I had my 2nd grade (11th grade) all day today and my two general teacher classes again. 2nd grade was a little more talkative and rambunctious than the 1st graders and less willing to participate and try but worked them a little and got 98% participation by the end which is great. I think it's going to be a really great year and I'm excited to start teaching real material instead of just introductions.
My teacher classes were much better today than yesterday. Had a bit more structure and I kind of got into a swing (with all my classes actually) so things went smoothly today. Tomorrow I have my other two 1st grade classes and my Club Activity class in which we are going to learn and perform Cinderella in front of the school at the school festival in November. And yes, we are going to perform. Oeja told me I got to be producer and actress, oh, lucky me :/ It should be fun though. It's just me and Oeja and 6 girls so I'm excited to get into it and get to know the girls. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and a great way for the girls to learn English.
<Just looked online for short Cinderella plays - because I don't have the time or desire to write one when I have the internet to do it for me :] >
So I found a really cute rhyming Cinderella, only thing is some of the vocabulary is a bit difficult. So I looked around and I found a rhyming Goldilocks (me obviously :]) on the same site with easier vocab but super cute. And perfect. So maybe I'll talk to Oeja about switching from Cinderella to Goldilocks.
Anywho, as I now have my camera, and microsd card adapter, I have a load of photo sorting, editing, and posting to do so I bid you farewell with the promise of photos to come. :]
♥♥
I had a great second day. I had my 2nd grade (11th grade) all day today and my two general teacher classes again. 2nd grade was a little more talkative and rambunctious than the 1st graders and less willing to participate and try but worked them a little and got 98% participation by the end which is great. I think it's going to be a really great year and I'm excited to start teaching real material instead of just introductions.
My teacher classes were much better today than yesterday. Had a bit more structure and I kind of got into a swing (with all my classes actually) so things went smoothly today. Tomorrow I have my other two 1st grade classes and my Club Activity class in which we are going to learn and perform Cinderella in front of the school at the school festival in November. And yes, we are going to perform. Oeja told me I got to be producer and actress, oh, lucky me :/ It should be fun though. It's just me and Oeja and 6 girls so I'm excited to get into it and get to know the girls. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and a great way for the girls to learn English.
<Just looked online for short Cinderella plays - because I don't have the time or desire to write one when I have the internet to do it for me :] >
So I found a really cute rhyming Cinderella, only thing is some of the vocabulary is a bit difficult. So I looked around and I found a rhyming Goldilocks (me obviously :]) on the same site with easier vocab but super cute. And perfect. So maybe I'll talk to Oeja about switching from Cinderella to Goldilocks.
Anywho, as I now have my camera, and microsd card adapter, I have a load of photo sorting, editing, and posting to do so I bid you farewell with the promise of photos to come. :]
♥♥
Monday, September 5, 2011
Mission.... Possible?
I have successfully completed my first day of teaching in Korea. However, the day did not start off smooth. Walked in this morning and sat down at my computer to finish up last minute lesson planning before my classes, pushed the power button and .... nothing. As in, nothing. The computer wouldn't turn on. At all. So after the teacher next to me trying the power button as well, to no avail, I waited patiently for Mr. Lee to come in and then told him. (Poor Mr. Lee...) He came over and messed with all the wires, double checked that everything was plugged in and the rest of it. Still nothing. So he tells me that he can't fix it, and it needs to be repaired. So luckily I saved everything on my USB Friday afternoon, just had a feeling it'd be a good idea... So I got on another teacher's computer and checked to make sure I had everything ready for my first two teacher classes and my first student class which were all back to back. Spent the rest of the time making notes on stuff I had printed out. Then headed up to my first teacher class. It went well. I definitely need to have more stuff prepared, which I knew I would, but figured the first week I could just kind of wing it :/ It went okay. Then had my second teacher class, which is lower, and that went well for the first 10 minutes until the laptop I was using for my presentation died. Yeah.... I wasn't even near it. I was writing words on the board on the other side of the room and then I turned around and it was just off. So I checked the cords, the power was plugged in, everything was still connected, nothing had changed except the computer just turned off and quit working...retarded. So one of the teachers in the class went out and came back with Mr. Lee (POOR MR. LEE) - my school is never going to let me touch computers again :/ - so he checks all the cords, etc, and eventually discovers that the outlet that the power cord is plugged into has apparently died... :/ so he changes it and the computer powers right up. I killed an outlet..... I was just glad I didn't kill another computer.... so we finished class, the rest went quite well. Oeja told me after that all the teachers really enjoyed the class and everyone was very impressed. Surprise to me, I felt like a blubbering idiot most of the time. So then I had my first student class with Mr. Ha, it was 1-1 (1st grade 1st class, so 10th grade, 1st class). It went really well. Just had one student that thought she was too cool for school but that'll be taken care of next week if it continues. The class was a little slow to warm up, but that was expected and after a little persuasion they did really well. Especially when I made a little competition. :D So overall really good classes. Then we had lunch, always an adventure. Had some sort of carmalized seafood shell medley today... not really sure because I didn't eat it... :/
So then I had 2 hours of planning during which the computer repair guy came, brought a brand new power supply with him - I assume they told him what the computer was doing, or wasn't doing rather.... So he plugged it in, nothing, messed with it a bit, nothing, took out some circuit boards, tried a few other things, everything resulting in nothing... So then he unplugs everything, picks up the whole tower, says some stuff in Korean to Mr. Lee and walks out the door.... Mr. Lee tells me that the guy couldn't fix it here and the computer needs to be repaired... :/ But really, they're never gonna let me touch a computer again. So hopefully the guy brings it back working tomorrow. It's really hard to plan and find/steal materials from waygook without a computer and internet. I was contemplating bringing my laptop tomorrow but it won't work with their internet so I'll just buy a notebook on the way to school tomorrow, I need to buy one for lesson planning anyway, and do it by hand.
So my last lesson of the day was English teachers' class. Which went really well. I think mostly we'll just have conversations about random stuff, maybe focused around a topic for day, and that will be our 50 minute class. Because these are people who studied English for 9 years in regular school, plus 4 more intense years in a University. I can teach them nothing except fluency and what we actually say. They've got me on the grammar front and they know all about textbook English, now it's just making it flow. So yeah. That went well. Then I walked home. Decided I was going to take a walk down to the stadium to walk the track for a bit, and then headed back home. Got a little lost on the way home but found my way which is good. They actually recommend doing it the first week just to explore and such but I think I'll just do it in small bits like I did tonight. Easier to actually get a map in my head that way. Anyway, it's almost midnight so off to bed for me. Early morning to review lesson plans before school and figure out what the heck I'm doing in my two teacher classes tomorrow!! Ahh!
Night!
♥
PS - I will get my camera tomorrow so ready yourselves for a plethora of photos!! :] (Though I make no promises because I don't know how my day will go tomorrow. Hopefully as well as or better than today!)
So then I had 2 hours of planning during which the computer repair guy came, brought a brand new power supply with him - I assume they told him what the computer was doing, or wasn't doing rather.... So he plugged it in, nothing, messed with it a bit, nothing, took out some circuit boards, tried a few other things, everything resulting in nothing... So then he unplugs everything, picks up the whole tower, says some stuff in Korean to Mr. Lee and walks out the door.... Mr. Lee tells me that the guy couldn't fix it here and the computer needs to be repaired... :/ But really, they're never gonna let me touch a computer again. So hopefully the guy brings it back working tomorrow. It's really hard to plan and find/steal materials from waygook without a computer and internet. I was contemplating bringing my laptop tomorrow but it won't work with their internet so I'll just buy a notebook on the way to school tomorrow, I need to buy one for lesson planning anyway, and do it by hand.
So my last lesson of the day was English teachers' class. Which went really well. I think mostly we'll just have conversations about random stuff, maybe focused around a topic for day, and that will be our 50 minute class. Because these are people who studied English for 9 years in regular school, plus 4 more intense years in a University. I can teach them nothing except fluency and what we actually say. They've got me on the grammar front and they know all about textbook English, now it's just making it flow. So yeah. That went well. Then I walked home. Decided I was going to take a walk down to the stadium to walk the track for a bit, and then headed back home. Got a little lost on the way home but found my way which is good. They actually recommend doing it the first week just to explore and such but I think I'll just do it in small bits like I did tonight. Easier to actually get a map in my head that way. Anyway, it's almost midnight so off to bed for me. Early morning to review lesson plans before school and figure out what the heck I'm doing in my two teacher classes tomorrow!! Ahh!
Night!
♥
PS - I will get my camera tomorrow so ready yourselves for a plethora of photos!! :] (Though I make no promises because I don't know how my day will go tomorrow. Hopefully as well as or better than today!)
Sunday, September 4, 2011
The adventure continues.
I have been in Korea for 2 and a half weeks. 17 days. So far I spent the first 9 at orientation, 4 days at Mr. Lee's house, and tonight is my 6th night in my own apartment. Wow. It definitely doesn't feel like my 6th day here. I moved in Tuesday night though so it is. Monday night Oeja took me to Pohang to get my ARC. Tuesday was moving day. Wednesday was broken computer at work day. Thursday I just lesson planned then hung out at home. Got a little more settled. Friday I had plans to go out to Pohang to meet a friend I met at orientation. I talked to my mom on facebook for a while, then caught the bus to Pohang. That was an experience. I bought the ticket and everything fine and then had to wait about 30 minutes or so since after 5 the buses only run every 30 minutes or so. But I didn't know where I was supposed to be getting off. I mean, I had an idea, it was basically the stop after where I normally got off and on in Pohang. So with the help of some friendly Koreans, I figured out when to get off and made it in one piece. He was waiting for me at the bus terminal so that was good. Then we went out to a bar called Whistlers where all the westerners hang out. Really great place. They have all the best American drinks there, they play American music, they have pool tables, and a hookah area, and the bartenders all speak English really well. Plus all the people in there speak English. Which is a nice change :] There is a marine base in Pohang too so a lot of military guys hang out there. :] Only, they won't admit to being military, apparently they have some kind of reputation, who'da thought haha. So they always say they are English teachers - except no one looks like they look and isn't in the military when there's a military base close. So that was funny. Hung out with everyone. There were only 3 girls in the bar, and I was the only American so I was a little popular but it was a good time :]
So I missed the last bus, which ran at 11:30 - really gotta pay more attention to the time when there's a bus to catch :/ but it was okay because I just slept on the guy's couch. Then I caught the bus at 7 the next morning and well, that could've gone a little smoother. I got off one stop too early and then got really confused as to where the bus terminal was. (From his apartment I had to take a bus to get to the bus terminal, then take the main bus to get back to Yeongdeok. I got off before the bus terminal.) So after walking around a bit with no luck, I started asking Koreans how to get to the "bus tuhminall" (because that's how they say it and if you say "bus terminal" they won't understand). So I finally found my way there, came in the back of the terminal, had a little trouble finding the ticket counter since I cam in from the back, followed a Korean and found it, bought my ticket, asked a bus driver which bus was going to Yeongdeok, was told "ii" (good thing I know my Korean numbers so I knew that was 2) and got on the bus about 5 minutes before it left. I had to be home early because the internet guy was coming between 9-10 am Saturday morning. So the bus pulls into the terminal in Yeongdeok at 9:05, I hurry home and am in by 9:10 hoping desperately that he didn't already come and with nothing to do now but wait. I watched the rest of Soul Surfer, very good fyi, while I waited and he ended up showing up at 9:50, and took 45 minutes to set everything up but left without me having working internet. He did however call Oeja (she's my contact number for everything) and explain the situation so I talked to her on his cell phone and she said Mr Lee would come over after he finished classes about 12:40 and fix it for me. So he came over, brought a router, because apparently the internet company doesn't supply those :/, and spent 45 minutes fixing it for me :] Which is why I have internet at home now. YAY Mr. Lee!!
So the rest of Saturday I spent sleeping. I was supposed to meet up with some people in Pohang for an open mic night and general festivities but I was too tired from the night before so I just stayed in and slept. Talk to mom on skype some and then slept more.
This morning my plan for the day was to get up, get lost in Yeongdeok, find my way to the open market which is open the 4, and 9 of every month (so 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, and 29), then find the bike shop, possibly buy a bike if they weren't too expensive, go grocery shopping, and then just hang out. Instead I slept, got up about 12, got on the computer for a little while, got homesick and sad, slept, slept some more, and then about 6 finally got up and decided I had to go grocery shopping because I had no food and I was hungry. So I got dressed and did it. I spent 36, 940 won and got the following,
2 microfiber hand towels (all they sell here) - 1000 each = 2000
6 bananas - 2300
half a loaf of bread - 2000
18 little peach yogurt drinks (delicious!!) - 1800
smoked ham (that's really a cross between ham and spam but still very good) - 5650
1.5L grape juice - 3000
1.5L milk - 3500
qtips - 1000
a box of almond flakes cereal - 3450
strawberry jelly - 3200
2 packs of 5 hangers - 1300 each = 2600
a plastic bag to carry it all in - 40
and the most expensive thing I bought - a jar of peanut butter -6400
31491 taxable goods
+3149 tax
+2300 duty free goods
equals 36940 -> about 34.75 USD
Overall not too bad. Got a lot of stuff so I should be good for the week. I was going to buy some chicken and have chicken breast all the time but the only chicken I could find was chicken legs and whole chicken so... Yeah. I'll have to talk to Oeja and see if they sell it somewhere else. Or maybe I'll look at the other grocery store in town. There's one about five minutes from my house but it's more expensive so I go to the one 10 minutes away, right by the school, to save money. I definitely need to get a bike though. That walk with that bag was awful. The drinks made it so heavy. I was going to buy another bottle of water too but thought about having to carry that too and decided I would just grab it on the way home from school tomorrow.
Speaking of which - tomorrow is my first day of teaching! Eek! I have first period, 9:20-10:10 off, which is awesome, then my first general teacher class 10:20-11:10, then my other general teacher class 11:20-12:10, then my first student class, 1-1 (grade 1 class one, which is actually 10th grade class 1, but they do elementary school grades 1 through 6, middle school grade 1 through 3, (7, 8, 9) and high school grade 1 through 3 (10, 11, 12)). Anyway, I have that from 12:20-13:10 and that's my only student class for the day, which is nice. I have lunch 13:10-14:00 and then planning until my first english teacher class 16:00-16:50. Then I get my stuff and go home. I'm nervous but glad that I don't have all my classes on the same day. Tuesday I have 2 student classes and and my two general teacher classes again. Then Wednesday, my last two student classes for high school and my Club Activity class, which is just 6 girls, Oeja, and me, and we're going to do Cinderella and put on a play for the school at the school festival in November. :] Then Thursday and Friday I have middle school which is just 6 student classes, and hopefully no teacher classes :/. And then just my second english teacher class Friday afternoon and then I'm done for the week. Every other Saturday my school has classes but I won't be teaching any of those, per my contract :]. Overall it's a nice schedule. I get about 4 hours every day to plan, 5 on Wednesday, not sure about Thursday and Friday, with classes interspersed to break it up so I'm not sitting at my desk all day. I'm excited. And nervous of course.
Anyway, all in all things are going well. I've been having mood swings a little bit. I'm going to just bring my lesson planning so that way if I start getting down I can just keep busy. It's great here, it's just super hard being away from all of you. I miss everyone so much. And I think part of the hardest bit is knowing how long it will be before I get to see everyone again. Anyway, I'm just going to embrace it while I'm here because there's so much to enjoy, I just need to get out of my apartment and do it.
Love you all and miss you like crazy.
♥
Ps - pictures of my apartment!! Finally! :]
Sorry the pictures aren't the best. I had to take them with my laptop. I'm going to take better ones as soon as I get my camera (hopefully tomorrow) and then I'll post those on facebook. :]
So I missed the last bus, which ran at 11:30 - really gotta pay more attention to the time when there's a bus to catch :/ but it was okay because I just slept on the guy's couch. Then I caught the bus at 7 the next morning and well, that could've gone a little smoother. I got off one stop too early and then got really confused as to where the bus terminal was. (From his apartment I had to take a bus to get to the bus terminal, then take the main bus to get back to Yeongdeok. I got off before the bus terminal.) So after walking around a bit with no luck, I started asking Koreans how to get to the "bus tuhminall" (because that's how they say it and if you say "bus terminal" they won't understand). So I finally found my way there, came in the back of the terminal, had a little trouble finding the ticket counter since I cam in from the back, followed a Korean and found it, bought my ticket, asked a bus driver which bus was going to Yeongdeok, was told "ii" (good thing I know my Korean numbers so I knew that was 2) and got on the bus about 5 minutes before it left. I had to be home early because the internet guy was coming between 9-10 am Saturday morning. So the bus pulls into the terminal in Yeongdeok at 9:05, I hurry home and am in by 9:10 hoping desperately that he didn't already come and with nothing to do now but wait. I watched the rest of Soul Surfer, very good fyi, while I waited and he ended up showing up at 9:50, and took 45 minutes to set everything up but left without me having working internet. He did however call Oeja (she's my contact number for everything) and explain the situation so I talked to her on his cell phone and she said Mr Lee would come over after he finished classes about 12:40 and fix it for me. So he came over, brought a router, because apparently the internet company doesn't supply those :/, and spent 45 minutes fixing it for me :] Which is why I have internet at home now. YAY Mr. Lee!!
So the rest of Saturday I spent sleeping. I was supposed to meet up with some people in Pohang for an open mic night and general festivities but I was too tired from the night before so I just stayed in and slept. Talk to mom on skype some and then slept more.
This morning my plan for the day was to get up, get lost in Yeongdeok, find my way to the open market which is open the 4, and 9 of every month (so 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, and 29), then find the bike shop, possibly buy a bike if they weren't too expensive, go grocery shopping, and then just hang out. Instead I slept, got up about 12, got on the computer for a little while, got homesick and sad, slept, slept some more, and then about 6 finally got up and decided I had to go grocery shopping because I had no food and I was hungry. So I got dressed and did it. I spent 36, 940 won and got the following,
2 microfiber hand towels (all they sell here) - 1000 each = 2000
6 bananas - 2300
half a loaf of bread - 2000
18 little peach yogurt drinks (delicious!!) - 1800
smoked ham (that's really a cross between ham and spam but still very good) - 5650
1.5L grape juice - 3000
1.5L milk - 3500
qtips - 1000
a box of almond flakes cereal - 3450
strawberry jelly - 3200
2 packs of 5 hangers - 1300 each = 2600
a plastic bag to carry it all in - 40
and the most expensive thing I bought - a jar of peanut butter -6400
31491 taxable goods
+3149 tax
+2300 duty free goods
equals 36940 -> about 34.75 USD
Overall not too bad. Got a lot of stuff so I should be good for the week. I was going to buy some chicken and have chicken breast all the time but the only chicken I could find was chicken legs and whole chicken so... Yeah. I'll have to talk to Oeja and see if they sell it somewhere else. Or maybe I'll look at the other grocery store in town. There's one about five minutes from my house but it's more expensive so I go to the one 10 minutes away, right by the school, to save money. I definitely need to get a bike though. That walk with that bag was awful. The drinks made it so heavy. I was going to buy another bottle of water too but thought about having to carry that too and decided I would just grab it on the way home from school tomorrow.
Speaking of which - tomorrow is my first day of teaching! Eek! I have first period, 9:20-10:10 off, which is awesome, then my first general teacher class 10:20-11:10, then my other general teacher class 11:20-12:10, then my first student class, 1-1 (grade 1 class one, which is actually 10th grade class 1, but they do elementary school grades 1 through 6, middle school grade 1 through 3, (7, 8, 9) and high school grade 1 through 3 (10, 11, 12)). Anyway, I have that from 12:20-13:10 and that's my only student class for the day, which is nice. I have lunch 13:10-14:00 and then planning until my first english teacher class 16:00-16:50. Then I get my stuff and go home. I'm nervous but glad that I don't have all my classes on the same day. Tuesday I have 2 student classes and and my two general teacher classes again. Then Wednesday, my last two student classes for high school and my Club Activity class, which is just 6 girls, Oeja, and me, and we're going to do Cinderella and put on a play for the school at the school festival in November. :] Then Thursday and Friday I have middle school which is just 6 student classes, and hopefully no teacher classes :/. And then just my second english teacher class Friday afternoon and then I'm done for the week. Every other Saturday my school has classes but I won't be teaching any of those, per my contract :]. Overall it's a nice schedule. I get about 4 hours every day to plan, 5 on Wednesday, not sure about Thursday and Friday, with classes interspersed to break it up so I'm not sitting at my desk all day. I'm excited. And nervous of course.
Anyway, all in all things are going well. I've been having mood swings a little bit. I'm going to just bring my lesson planning so that way if I start getting down I can just keep busy. It's great here, it's just super hard being away from all of you. I miss everyone so much. And I think part of the hardest bit is knowing how long it will be before I get to see everyone again. Anyway, I'm just going to embrace it while I'm here because there's so much to enjoy, I just need to get out of my apartment and do it.
Love you all and miss you like crazy.
♥
Ps - pictures of my apartment!! Finally! :]
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| My bedroom! The thing on the right is to hang my clothes on. These were taken the first night so there's nothing hung up, but there is now :] |
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| My little dresser on the left. I have a mirror above it. And my (I think) queen bed on the right :] (Also, soooo glad I brought my blankets! Best idea ever!!) :] |
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| My living room and old TV. Good thing I don't watch it that much. Just the english channel on KPop stars in the morning so I can try to learn a little bit before I go to school every morning :] Oh, and on the right you can just see the edge of my two sliding doors to the balcony. |
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| My front door and window. |
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| From the other side of my living room. That's the TV and front door on the right, the closed door is the bathroom, and the kitchen is on the left. The open door on the far left is my bedroom. |
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| My kitchen. Which now has a big new refrigerator in it, I moved the table into the living room so I could watch TV. |
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| My tiny bathroom. Which now has a washing machine on the left side of the toilet. |
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